In this case of first impression, we must decide whether Holly Township timely adopted a resolution to exempt its taxes from capture by the Village of Holly Downtown Development Authority. MCL
STATEMENT OF FACTS
In 1975, the Legislature adopted the downtown development authority act (the “Act”), MCL 125.1651
et seq.
The Act requires two types of public hearings. Section 3, MCL 125.1653, requires a public hearing before a municipality (a city, village, or township) creates a DDA with specified boundaries or amends an existing DDA’s district boundaries. Section 18, MCL 125.1668, requires a public hearing before the governing body that created the DDA adopts an ordinance approving the DDA’s development plan or tax increment financing (TIF) plan.
The village of Holly formed its DDA in 1984. In 1993, the Legislature amended the Act to add a procedure for taxing jurisdictions affected by a proposed new or expanded DDA to “opt out” and thereby prevent the DDA from capturing revenue that would otherwise go to the taxing jurisdiction. As amended by
(1) When the governing body of a municipality determines that it is necessary for the best interests of the public to halt property value deterioration and increase property tax valuation where possible in its business district, to eliminatethe causes of that deterioration, and to promote economic growth, the governing body may, by resolution, declare its intention to create and provide for the operation of an authority.
(2) In the resolution of intent, the governing body shall set a date for the holding of a public hearing on the adoption of a proposed ordinance creating the .authority and designating the boundaries of the downtown district. Notice of the public hearing shall be published twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality, not less than 20 or more than 40 days before the date of the hearing. Not less than 20 days before the hearing, the governing body proposing to create the authority shall also mail notice of the hearing to the property taxpayers of record in the proposed district and for a public hearing to be held after February 15, 1994 to the governing body of each taxing jurisdiction levying taxes that would be subject to capture if the authority is established and a tax increment financing plan is approved. Failure of a property taxpayer to receive the notice shall not invalidate these proceedings. Notice of the hearing shall be posted in at least 20 conspicuous and public places in the proposed downtown district not less than 20 days before the hearing. The notice shall state the date, time, and place of the hearing, and shall describe the boundaries of the proposed downtown district. A citizen, taxpayer, or property owner of the municipality or an official from a taxing jurisdiction with millage that would be subject to capture has the right to be heard in regard to the establishment of the authority and the boundaries of the proposed downtown district. The governing body of the municipality shall not incorporate land into the downtown district not included in the description contained in the notice of public hearing, but it may eliminate described lands from the downtown district in the final determination of the boundaries.
(3) Not more than 60 days after a public hearing held after February 15, 1994, the governing body of a taxing jurisdiction levying ad valorem property taxes that would otherwise be subject to capture may exempt its taxes from capture by adopting a resolution to that effect and filing a copy with the clerk of the municipality proposing to create the authority. The resolution takes effect when filed with that clerk and remains effective until a copy of a resolution rescinding that resolution is filed with that clerk.
(4) Not less than 60 days after the public hearing, if the governing body of the municipality intends to proceed with the establishment of the authority, it shall adopt, by majority vote of its members, an ordinance establishing the authority and designating the boundaries of the downtown district within which the authority shall exercise its powers. The adoption of the ordinance is subject to any applicable statutory or charter provisions in respect to the approval or disapproval by the chief executive or other officer of the municipality and the adoption of an ordinance over his veto. This ordinance shall be filed with the secretary of state promptly after its adoption and shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality.
(5) The governing body of the municipality may alter or amend the boundaries of the downtown district to include or exclude lands from the downtown district pursuant to the same requirements for adopting the ordinance creating the authority. [MCL 125.1653, as amendedby 1993 PA 323 ; text added or altered by that public act shown in italics.]
(1) The governing body, before adoption of an ordinance approving a development plan or tax increment financing plan, shall hold a public hearing on the development plan. Notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be given by publication twice in a newspaper of general circulation designated by the municipality, the first of which shall be not less than 20 days before the date set for the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be posted in at least 20 conspicuous and public places in the downtown district not less than 20 days before the hearing. Notice shall also be mailed to all property taxpayers of record in the downtown district not less than 20 days before the hearing.
(2) Notice of the time and place of hearing on a development plan shall contain: a description of the proposed development area in relation to highways, streets, streams, or otherwise; a statement that maps, plats, and a description of the development plan, including the method of relocating families and individuals who may be displaced from the area, are available for public inspection at a place designated in the notice, and that all aspects of the development plan will be open for discussion at the public hearing; and other information that the governing body deems appropriate. At the time set for hearing, the govern ing body shall provide an opportunity for interested persons to be heard and shall receive and consider communications in writing with reference thereto. The hearing shall provide the fullest opportunity for expression of opinion, for argument on the merits, and for introduction of documentary evidence pertinent to the development plan. The governing body shall make and preserve a record of the public hearing, including all data presented thereat. [MCL 125.1668.] [2]
The parties agree on the pertinent facts leading up to this appeal. This dispute arose after the village passed a resolution giving notice of its intent to expand the boundaries of its DDA and noticed a public hearing for July 11, 2000. Although the DDA of the village of Holly had existed for a decade before the right of taxing jurisdictions to exempt their taxes from capture was created, subsection 5 of § 3 requires that DDA boundary expansions be approved through the same notice and public hearings process as for a new DDA. MCL 125.1653(5). Therefore, the village’s proposed DDA boundary expansion had to be considered at a public hearing. MCL 125.1653(2).
Following the July 11, 2000, public hearing, however, the village took no action on the original proposal and instead decided to consider different boundaries for an expanded DDA district. A second public hearing was held on October 24, 2000, to consider a new proposed ordinance to expand the boundaries of the DDA district. Holly Township was one of the affected
The village then gave the notices required under the Act for an April 24, 2001, public hearing on a proposed development plan, MCL 125.1667, and a TIF plan, MCL 125.1664, for the expanded DDA. The public hearing on the proposed plans occurred as scheduled, and the village thereafter adopted an ordinance approving them. Because of a problem with the original notice for the April 24, 2001, public hearing, the village again noticed and held a new public hearing on July 10, 2001. The village again enacted its ordinance approving the DDA’s development and TIF plans on August 14, 2001. See MCL 125.1668.
Meanwhile, on May 15, 2001, the township adopted it own resolution entitled “Resolution to Exempt Taxes from Capture.” The village received the township’s resolution on May 17, 2001. Thereafter, the township treasurer refused to account for or transfer taxes that the expanded DDA would otherwise have captured.
Unable to persuade the township that its exemption resolution was ineffective, plaintiffs, the village and its DDA, sought declaratory and equitable relief against the township and its treasurer. Plaintiffs asked the court to declare that (1) the township’s exemption resolution was invalid because it was not adopted within sixty days following the public hearing regarding expanding the boundaries of the DDA, (2) the DDA was entitled to the TIF revenue specified in the plan, (3) plaintiffs were entitled to an accounting, and (4) plaintiffs were entitled to the capture revenue and interest from the time the TIF plan was approved.
The trial court decided the case on cross-motions for summary disposition, the parties’ stipulation of facts and exhibits, and briefs. In its opinion, the trial court began with the premise that the Act requires two public hearings: the first to create a DDA or alter its boundaries and the second to adopt a TIF plan.
4
The trial court noted that the parties agreed that the township’s exemption resolution was adopted within sixty days of the second public hearing (on the TIF), but not within sixty days of the first public hearing (on the DDA’s boundaries). The court ruled that the township’s exemption resolution was timely, reasoning “that absent a specific determination by [the] [legislature requiring exemption to be after the first hearing required, that the only fair interpretation is that the exemption may be done after any required public hearing, incident to the Act.” As self-described dicta, the court also reasoned that until a “final determination” was made, a taxing jurisdiction would not have a “full and clear understanding of the effect of the
The village and its DDA appeal by right. Amici curiae, the Michigan Downtown and Finance Association and the Michigan Municipal League, have also filed briefs.
STANDARD OF REVIEW
The application of a statute is a question of law this Court reviews de novo.
Eggleston v Bio-Medical Applications of Detroit, Inc,
Furthermore, we must not read a word or phrase of a statute in isolation. Each word or phrase and its placement must be read in context of the whole act.
Shinholster v Annapolis Hosp,
ANALYSIS
We first summarize the salient parts of the excellent briefs of the parties and amici curiae.
Plaintiffs argue that MCL 125.1653(3) is ambiguous because it is susceptible to two or more constructions. But the Legislature intended that a taxing jurisdiction’s ability to exempt its taxes from capture is limited to the sixty-day period following a § 3 hearing because there is no similar opt-out provision in § 18 for a TIF plan hearing. Plaintiffs also argue that the sixty-day period of subsection 3 dovetails with the sixty-day waiting period of subsection 4 before a municipality may create an authority or amend the boundaries of an existing DDA. Plaintiffs further note that in the critical sentence of subsection 3, the phrase “the clerk of the municipality proposing to create the authority” pertains to the future, i.e., to a DDA not yet created. This indicates the Legislature’s intent to limit the opt-out ability of a taxing jurisdiction to only § 3 hearings necessary to create a DDA or amend its boundaries. Plaintiffs further argue that their construction of the statute is supported by the Act’s legislative history and
Defendants argue that subsection 3 is clear and unambiguous; therefore, it must be enforced as written. According to defendants, the Legislature could have specifically limited the ability of a taxing jurisdiction to exempt its taxes from capture to sixty days following a § 3 public hearing, but instead used the indefinite article “a” to modify “public hearing.” This wording unambiguously includes either a § 3 hearing or a § 18 hearing. Defendants further assert that their interpretation of subsection 3 is consistent with the definition of the word “a” to mean “any.” See, e.g.,
Hagerman v Gencorp Automotive,
“The word ‘a’ has varying meanings and uses. ‘A’ means ‘one’ or ‘any,’ but less emphatically than either.. ..
“.. . The most unlettered persons understand that ‘a’ is indefinite, but ‘the’ refers to a certain object.”
Defendants also argue that their interpretation of subsection 3 is consistent with good public policy because it permits taxing jurisdictions the opportunity to study details of proposed TIF and development plans before deciding whether to exempt their taxes from capture.
Amicus curiae, the Michigan Downtown and Finance Authority (MDFA), argues that reading the Act as a whole, and keeping in mind the separate purposes of a § 3 hearing and a § 18 hearing, the reference in subsection 3 to “a public hearing” is clear and unambiguous: It limits the ability of taxing jurisdictions to exempt taxes from capture to the sixty-day window following a § 3 public hearing conducted either to create a new DDA or to amend the boundaries of an existing DDA. The MDFA also argues that allowing taxing jurisdictions to opt out after a DDA has been created would hamper the DDA’s ability to adopt or amend development or TIF plans, thus denying such authorities a stable revenue stream.
Amicus curiae, the Michigan Municipal League (MML), agrees with the MDFA that the plain language of subsection 3 limits the opt-out provision to a § 3 hearing conducted to either create a new DDA or amend the boundaries of an existing DDA.
The MML argues in the alternative that if subsection 3 is ambiguous, the Legislature’s intent to limit the opt-out window to sixty days following a public hearing to create a new DDA or a public hearing to amend a DDA’s boundaries is manifested by contemporaneous amendments to similar statutes. Specifically, the MML notes that at the same time that the opt-out provision was added to the Act, an identical provision was added to the Local Development Financing Act (LDFA), MCL 125.2151
et seq.,
but not to the Tax Increment Finance Authority Act (TIFA), MCL 125.1801
et seq
5
Although new development
We agree with defendants and the amici curiae that MCL 125.1653(3) is not ambiguous. Although reasonable minds may differ on the interpretation of subsection 3, that is not the test to determine whether a statutory ambiguity justifies judicial construction.
Fluor Enterprises, Inc v Dep’t of Treasury,
Read as a whole, § 3 of the Act establishes the procedure for creating a DDA or amending the boundaries of an existing DDA. MCL 125.1653(1) and (5). Subsections 2, 3, and 4 of § 3 all dovetail harmoniously and indicate that “a public hearing held after February 15, 1994,” in subsection 3 must refer to the public hearing necessary for purposes of subsection 1 or 5. Subsection 2 requires notice “to the governing body of each taxing jurisdiction levying taxes that would be subject to capture if the authority is established and a tax increment financing plan is approved”, of “a public hearing to be held after February 15, 1994 ....” Subsection 3 provides an opt-out opportunity within sixty days of a public hearing described in the same manner as in subsection 2: “a public hearing held after February 15, 1994 ....” Further, the sixty-day opt-out window of subsection 3 exactly corresponds to the
This reading of the statute is confirmed by the Legislature’s use of language with a future sense in the critical sentence conveying the right upon taxing jurisdictions to “exempt its taxes from capture by adopting a resolution to that effect and filing a copy with the clerk of the municipality proposing to create the authority.” MCL 125.1653(3). This language clearly limits “a public hearing held after February 15,1994,” in subsection 3 to a hearing to create a new DDA or to amend the boundaries of an existing DDA pursuant to subsection 5. In other words, a DDA is no longer “proposed” once its founding municipality completes the actions required to form the authority, i.e., adoption of the “ordinance establishing the authority and designating the boundaries of the downtown district. .. .” MCL 125.1653(4) (emphasis added). Defendants’ interpretation fails because a § 18 public hearing on a proposed development plan or TIF plan can only be held when a DDA already exists. MCL 125.1668. Indeed, a DDA must exist to propose a TIF or development plan. MCL 125.1664(1) and 125.1667(1).
Moreover,
Our reading of the statute is further supported by the fact that the Legislature included a requirement that
notice be provided to taxing jurisdictions and a sixty-day window to opt out in § 3 of the Act, but omitted such provisions from § 18 of the Act. We must assume that the omission from § 18 was intentional.
Houghton Lake, supra
at 135. “The omission of a provision in one part of a statute, which is included elsewhere in the statute, should be construed as intentional.”
Cherry Growers, Inc v Agricultural Marketing & Bargaining Bd,
The Legislature’s use of the indefinite article “a” preceding “public hearing held after February 15, 1994,” in subsection 3 of § 3 is defendants’ sole text-based argument in support of their position. Read literally and in isolation, “a public hearing held after February 15, 1994,” would include any public hearing after February 15, 1994, whether or not related to a DDA or the capture of taxes. But words in a statute should not be assigned their literal meanings where the context of their surroundings and the statute read as a whole indicate otherwise.
Tyler, supra
at 390-391;
Root v Ins Co of North America,
In summary, we hold that the Legislature intended “a public hearing held after February 15,1994,” in subsection 3 of § 3, MCL 125.1653(3), to mean only a public hearing specified in § 3 of the Act, i.e., either a public hearing to create a DDA or a public hearing to amend the boundaries of an existing DDA. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment in favor of defendants and remand this case to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. We do not retain jurisdiction.
Notes
Section 3 of the Act was further amended by
2
The other taxing jurisdictions affected by the proposed DDA boundary expansion include Oakland County, Oakland Community College, the Oakland Intermediate School District, the Holly Area Schools, and the village of Holly.
We note that a TIF plan “may he modified if the modification is approved by the governing body upon notice and after public hearings and agreements as are required for approval of the original plan.” MCL 125.1664(5).
With respect to the LDFA, MCL 125.2154(3), as amended by
Not more than 60 days after a public hearing held after February 15,1994, the governing body of a taxing jurisdiction with millage that would otherwise be subject to capture may exempt its taxes from capture by adopting a resolution to that effect and filing a copy with the clerk of the municipality proposing to create the authority.
The bills that produced
With respect to the TIFA, MCL 125.1829(1) provides: “Beginning January 1,1987, a new authority or authority district shall not be created and the boundaries of an authority district shall not be expanded to include additional land.”
