By Charles E. Ramirez
The Detroit News
WARREN, Mich. — Communities across Metro Detroit are asking voters to either maintain or raise their taxes to fund police and fire services, and Joe DiSano thinks he knows why.
“Public safety millages are an easy slam dunk for officials to put on the ballot and secure their public safety budgets,” said DiSano, a political analyst. “If this were a basketball game, it would be an easy shot from the free-throw line.”
In more than a dozen local communities, voters will decide public safety taxes when they go to the polls Aug. 7.
Ten municipalities, including Warren and Orion and Redford townships, seek voters’ approval of tax hikes for police or fire.
DiSano, a principal of the Lansing communications, advocacy and lobbying firm Main Street Strategies LLC, said there are so many this election because communities face declining tax bases and state aid cuts.
“They’re trying to make sure public safety (operations) are fully funded,” he said. “I would look for most of them to pass.”
In Macomb County, Warren is asking voters for new taxes to fund police or fire services. Residents will decide on a 5-year, 4.9-mill hike.
Officials estimate the tax would raise more than $16 million its first year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $245.
Warren Fire Commissioner Skip McAdams said the tax is critical. He said if the millage fails, the department will have to lay off at least 25 of its 113 firefighters.
“Revenues to provide services have fallen and, unfortunately, we’re past the point of doing more with less,” McAdams said.
City officials say the millage’s failure would force the police department to cut 45 jobs.
In Oakland County, Berkley and Highland Township are seeking new public safety taxes.
Berkley voters will decide a millage for municipal operations as well as police and fire services. The 3-mill tax increase would generate about $1.3 million and cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $150 a year.
Highland Township residents face a proposed .75-mill boost of a police services property tax. Voters approved 2.8 mills in 2008 and officials seek the increase to maintain service through 2014.
The measure would generate nearly $500,000 in its first year. Under the proposal, a portion of the revenue also will be disbursed to the township’s Downtown Development Authority.
Officials estimate it would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $37.50 a year.
Meanwhile, four other communities - Rochester Hills and Independence, Orion and White Lake townships - are seeking both renewals and additional taxes for public safety services.
Rochester Hills voters are being asked to renew a 1.2-mill police service tax and approve levying up to 2.5 additional mills for 10 years, beginning in 2014. The city contracts with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials estimate the millage would raise nearly $11 million in its first year and say the city will reduce its operating millage to avoid a net tax increase.
In Independence Township, residents will decide on a four-year property tax renewal of up to 3.2 mills and a .59-mill, four-year hike for fire and emergency services.
The additional tax would raise $785,000 in the first year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $29.50 a year.
Orion Township voters will consider renewing fire and police millages for four years, plus a four-year, 1.1-mill boost for police. The hike would raise $1.2 million its first year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $50.50.
White Lake Township voters face three safety service issues: a 10-year renewal for police and fire services; a 10-year fire millage renewal; and an additional 10-year, 0.5-mill fire service tax.
If approved, the half-mill fire services increase will raise $467,835 its first year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $25.
In Wayne County, Huron Township and Redford Township are asking voters to create special assessment districts to pay for public safety services.
If the Huron Township measure is approved, the township board will set the amount property owners will be assessed, up to 10 mills. Officials estimate a tax rate of 2.4 mills the first year to raise about $937,200. The measure would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $120.
Redford’s proposal is similar, but calls for a 4.1-mill tax rate the first year. Officials estimate the measure would raise about $2.9 million for police and fire. If approved, the hike will cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $205 per year.
Copyright 2012 The Detroit News