That is .. of course the argument made to ask our residents to cough up a 1 mil levy to “fix our roads.” yup.. “only $75 on a home of average 150k.. etc etc. yada yada..”
A local millage request promoted by some folks who live in the Holiday Hills subdivision, and where the feeder road is crumbling away, is looking to add that extra burden to East Bay Township residents, and if they could, county residents as well. They have even gone to other township meetings to get those folks on board. There are enough bad roads to inspire interest, and the county road commission has been a little less funded in the last couple of years.
I have not yet seen the specific language, but only know it will cost a lot more than that for folks who have more than their homestead in this township. Unfortunately I also have another property in the same township, so I get to pay twice if it passes. Woot!
The money a little at a time is hardly something that seems to break the bank, but it accumulates. And property taxes are HARDLY the best method of a pay as you go solution for funding road improvement. Consumption taxes that are related to roads would be FAR MORE appropriate. A Gas tax.. I wouldn’t mind paying THAT if the need is appropriate, and the language is specific enough to ensure that goes directly to maintenance and road improvement without siphoning other funding simultaneously.
But a new millage?
NO.
Some folks are barely able to handle the property taxes as it is. Consider an older retired person who seldom drives, has lived in the same house for years, has a fixed income, and is now looking at additional taxes for what? Millages are quite UNFAIR and in your face taxes. The very fact that you cannot limit the vote to property owners only makes them exceptionally unrepresentative.
Cast the elderly to the curb.. vote YES to higher property taxes..
sounds great huh? ..no? I didn’t think so either..
