ANN ARBOR, Michigan — The Michigan Municipal League has honored Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) as the League’s 2020 Legislator of the Year.
Moss received the recognition this week in conjunction with the release of tribute videos and podcast conversations about their work on behalf of Michigan’s communities. View the video and podcast chat of Senator Moss here and here. The video celebration and podcast conversation are being done in place of an in-person awards gala that was cancelled due to COVID-19-related safety measures.
Sen. Moss represents Michigan’s 11th Senate District, which includes Oakland County and the communities of Farmington, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Wood, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak Township, and Southfield.
“It’s inspiring to see someone who was so passionate for his community as a city council person continue that level of dedication at the state level, first in the House and now in the state Senate as Senator Moss has done,” said Dan Gilmartin, CEO and executive director of the Michigan Municipal League. “Senator Moss has never forgotten his roots and continues to serve as a staunch advocate for local government. We’re fortunate to have him in Lansing battling every day on behalf of our communities.”
Following his service as the youngest city council person in the city of Southfield’s history, Jeremy Moss was immediately installed as the ranking Democrat on the Local Government Committee upon his election to the Michigan House in 2014.
Then-Representative Moss served as minority-vice chair of the Local Government Committee where he established his reputation as someone who is well-respected on both sides of the aisle and as a vocal advocate for local government. Moss has a long record of passionately defending local control, speaking out against efforts to preempt local units of government, and pushing for restoring funding to our communities.
“When I first served on the Southfield City Council, I recognized the importance of expanding my knowledge and the League was there for me in terms of training and education,” Moss said. “When I was elected to the state Legislature, I saw a different side of the League—one of advocacy and support of local communities. It’s easy for me to work with the MML because we both believe in the same thing—that our communities are the economic drivers of our state.”
Senator Moss was one of the key legislators working last term to rally his colleagues to oppose the proposal to preempt local tree ordinances, and is leading an effort this term to introduce legislation that would begin to restore revenue sharing cuts of the last decade. He introduced legislation this term to continue the successful Neighborhood Enterprise Zone Act, which cities utilize to rehabilitate distressed neighborhoods. Governor Whitmer signed his bill into law earlier this year.
His passion for local government has earned him a role as co-chair of the Legislative Municipal Caucus, a bi-partisan group of more than 30 House and Senate legislators who previously served in an elected or appointed capacity in their municipal government.
He has sponsored numerous bills throughout his legislative career that focus on enhancing local zoning and control over oil and gas drilling, and extending the same FOIA transparency requirements that local governments comply with to the governor and Legislature.
Sen. Moss received the Legislator of the Year honor along with state Rep. Gary Howell, D-North Branch.
About the Legislator of the Year Award: The honor is presented each year to lawmakers for their instrumental actions in the Michigan State Legislature on behalf of local communities. These individuals are recognized for their efforts in the passage of legislation that will benefit local governments or who have fought consistently to support local government.
For additional information, contact the League’s Matt Bach, director of communications, at (810) 874-1073 (cell) and mbach@mml.org.
Michigan Municipal League is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities. The League advocates on behalf of its member communities in Lansing, Washington, D.C., and the courts; provides educational opportunities for elected and appointed municipal officials; and assists municipal leaders in administering services to their communities through League programs and services. Learn more at mml.org.
###