‘Franchise Fee’ Imposed By City And Utility Company An Illegal Tax On Residents
A utility company’s “franchise fee” was an “unauthorized tax” that violated the Michigan Constitution and, as a result, the utility company could not collect the fee from its customers and then remit the collected fees to the City of East Lansing, the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled.
Michigan’s Criminal Court Costs Statute Declared Constitutional
The statute that permits Michigan trial courts to impose court costs on convicted criminal defendants is not unconstitutional on its face, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled.