When it comes to the responsibilities of local government, public safety is at the top of the list.

Folks want to know that when they dial 9-1-1, firefighters and police officers are going to show up to help and protect them.

But in order for that to happen, people have to pay taxes. It’s really that simple.

No fire millage equals no fire department. No police millage equals no officers on patrol.

If Addison Township residents wish to continue having police and fire services available to them 24-7, they need to say YES to both operating millage requests on the Aug. 7 primary election ballot.

Both requests are renewals coupled with very, very slight increases to get the millages back to their original voter-approved rates.

We’re talking a 0.0589-mill increase for the fire department and an additional 0.083 mill for police services provided by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

The total requests are 2.25 mills for six years for the fire department and 3.4874 mills for four years for police services.

Over the years, we’ve heard nothing but good things about the firefighters and deputies that serve Addison.

They’re hard-working. They’re friendly. They’re experienced. They’re dependable. They’re professional. They’re well-trained. They’re everything you could want when it comes to folks who protect lives and property.

Voting ‘no’ on either of these millages would be irresponsible and illogical. It’s one thing to be anti-tax, it’s quite another to be just plain stupid.

Police and fire services are not luxuries, they’re necessities. Civilized societies cannot function without people to extinguish fires, assist folks experiencing medical emergencies, handle disasters, catch criminals, uphold the law and maintain peace and order. Civilized societies need sheepdogs.

Voting ‘no’ on either of these millages is basically voting against having a civilized society. It’s voting against protecting your community. It’s voting against protecting your neighbors. It’s voting against protecting your family and yourself.

None of that makes sense to us.

When it comes to managing the tax dollars they’ve been given, both the fire department and sheriff’s substation have been extremely responsible. They never spend or ask for more than they need. Both consistently deliver the highest level of service they can for the lowest possible cost.

Addison’s public safety personnel are just as dedicated to saving taxpayers money as they are to saving their lives.

If Addison voters want their peaceful township to continue being the rural gem that it’s always been, they will not hesitate to vote YES on both the fire and police millage requests. There’s just no good reason not to. – CJC