LANSING – State Representative Bob Constan (D-Dearborn Heights) today announced a plan to combine two local district courts to reduce the costs of running the separate courts and garner more revenue-sharing funds for Dearborn Heights and Garden City.
"With Michigan facing a severe budget deficit, we must find ways to consolidate services and reduce costs, and that's what this plan does," Constan said. "Governor Granholm has called for communities to band together to save money, and she has a plan to reward those that do. Dearborn Heights and Garden City only stand to gain by combining these two courts."
Constan's plan would combine the 20th District Court in Dearborn Heights and the 21st District Court in Garden City to create a newly defined 20th District Court. Currently, the 20th District has two judges and the 21st District has one judge; combining the courts would not decrease the number of judges in the new 20th District. Consolidating the two courts would save both cities on the costs of running the separate courts and could lead to more revenue-sharing dollars from the state.
In her State of the State address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm called for cities and townships to work together to consolidate services to help resolve the state's financial crisis. Granholm's proposed budget would increase revenue-sharing funds by 2.5 percent for municipalities that consolidate services.
Under the Governor's proposed plan, Dearborn Heights would garner an addition $115,030 in revenue sharing from the state; Garden City would gain an additional $57,486.
"As we work to get Michigan back on track, we must cut costs wherever possible," Constan said. "Combining courts is fiscally responsible, and it's the right thing to do in these tough times. It's a win-win situation for our residents in both Dearborn Heights and Garden City."