Michigan House to take up $30M to cover Flint water bills

It won approval from the Senate almost two weeks ago. Businesses would be eligible for credit of 20% of the water portion of their bills.

He is investigating the tainted water, and was in town to talk to residents about how the crisis has affected them. “Even with the appropriation, if public confidence cannot be restored and collections continue to decline, we’ll be out of cash at the end of 2016”.

The rate remained high compared with many other cities even after a judge ordered Flint to reduce its rates by 35 percent and to stop charging a service fee. “Residents of Flint shouldn’t have to pay for water that they can’t drink”.

Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said she could take the city’s case to a national audience if state lawmaker’s delay funding for the removal of lead water lines in the city, which she targets to begin next week.

The committee also voted down a Democratic amendment to use state funds to expand nutritional access through the Women, Infants and Children Program.

State Rep. Al Pscholka, R-Stevensville, noted that the state had asked the federal government to expand WIC payments to children up to the age of 10.

State regulators never required that the river water be treated to make it less corrosive, causing lead from plumbing and pipes to leach into the water supply. “This is a step in the right direction”.