Rep. VanderWall voted in support of a bipartisan plan to provide ongoing, dedicated funding to local law enforcement and violence prevention efforts across Michigan — a move that would strengthen public safety in communities throughout Manistee, Mason, Muskegon and Oceana counties.

The plan creates the Public Safety and Violence Prevention Trust Fund to support local police departments and violence prevention programs.

Michigan is facing serious public safety challenges. Four of the 20 most violent cities in the country are in Michigan. Meanwhile, police departments struggle to hire and retain officers and are forced to work with outdated equipment and limited tools.

House Bills 4260-61 allocate $115 million in annual sales tax revenue to support local law enforcement and violence prevention. Of this, $72 million would be distributed to cities, villages, and townships based on their share of violent crime over the past three years. The funds must be used exclusively for public safety, crime investigation, or violence prevention efforts, and cannot replace existing local funding.

The plan also sets aside $40 million for county sheriff’s offices, distributed according to the size of each county’s police force. If a county provides local police services for a township, the township’s share of funding would go to the sheriff’s office.

Estimated funding increases for local police in Rep. VanderWall’s district under the plan:

Manistee County: Up to $266,476.33

Filer Township: $1,634.92
Manistee Police Department: $32,698.3
Manistee Township: $17,984.10
Stronach Township: $1,634.92

Mason County: Up to $266,476.33

Amber Township: $3,814.81 ​
Custer Township: $10,354.48 ​
Eden Township: $1,634.92 ​
Free Soil Township: $3,269.84 ​
Grant Township: $544.97 ​
Hamlin Township: $10,899.46 ​
Ludington Police Department: $49,592.53 ​
Pere Marquette Charter Township: $8,719.57 ​
Riverton Township: $1,634.92 ​
Scottville Police Department: $7,629.62 ​
Sherman Township: $5,994.70
Summit Township: $544.97 ​
Victory Township: $2,724.86 ​

Muskegon County: Up to $513,918.63

Blue Lake Township: $9,264.54 ​
Cedar Creek Township: $4,359.78
Dalton Township: $32,153.40 ​
Fruitland Township: $5,449.73 ​
Holton Township: $16,894.16 ​
Montague Police Department: $3,269.84
Montague Township: $2,179.89 ​
Whitehall Police Department: $8,719.57 ​
Whitehall Township: $5,449.73 ​
White River Township: $544.97

Oceana County: Up to $199,857.24

Benona Township: $4,904.76 ​
Claybanks Township: $4,904.76 ​
Crystal Township: $1,634.92
Elbridge Township: $7,084.65 ​
Ferry Township: $9,809.51 ​
Golden Township: $16,894.16 ​
Grant Township: $23,433.83 ​
Greenwood Township: $6,539.67 ​
Hart Police Department: $19,074.05 ​
Hart Township: $11,989.40