When it came time to talk ‘truth in taxation? and the possibility of raising taxes, residents of Independence Township were not happy.
‘My property value has dropped, and dropped, and dropped, but my taxes went up $179 this year. This economy in this state is one of the worst in the country, our president just said this is the worst recession since the depression and I don’t think you get it,? said Mike Hodges, resident of 17 years at the Sept. 15 board meeting.
‘You spent $150,000 on a senior citizen project when the taxpayers told you twice not to do it, you bought this building (township hall) in a time when the property values are going down and then you got to the guts to ask me for more money, I think you’re out of your minds,? he said. ‘Houses are selling for less than what they cost to build 15 years ago. People have lost their jobs and the prices of wages are going down. You’re going to have to look at your employees and lower their costs, their wages, that’s the way this state is going and you better face it.?
Lifetime resident Mary Walker said the board needed to reduce taxes, because everyone is paying on a ‘make believe number (a $100,000) that we’re all dreaming that we can sell our house for that again and it isn’t going to happen.?
‘I wish I knew the people that lived in that house because their taxes would be a third of what the rest of us pay,? she said. ‘My house is not worth that much anymore, sadly.?
Rob Namowitz agreed the ‘imaginary $100,000 house? is hard for people to understand.
‘It looks like a bunch of hocus pocus, all people know is their bill is bigger. That’s the big problem, people are paying more and folks aren’t happy about it,? Namowitz said. ‘You can’t sell your home for what you paid for it 10 years ago and the taxes we’re paying don’t reflect that realism, that’s rather upsetting.?
Millages for discussion included general fund, fire, police, library, and safety path.
‘I don’t think safety path is anywhere near as important as fire or police, I would suggest we reject the override with respect to safety path,? Trustee Neil Wallace said. ‘I don’t think there is a more central service with the EMS and the fire department that has to live off this millage.?
Trustee Larry Rosso agreed.
‘It’s essential that we keep our fire service in tact,? Rosso said. ‘I think we’re aware that the EMS is being called more and more into service like never before.?
Clerk Shelagh VanderVeen agreed concerning fire, but felt they should not increase the police budget, which is currently in severe trouble.
‘If we’re only paying $70,000 (at the maximum rate raised,) it won’t even cover one deputy,? she said. ‘I don’t think it’s worth going up to that.?
Treasurer Curt Carson disagreed.
‘I am very much concerned with major cuts there in which we’re going to have to do regardless of what we do, I think we should give them the opportunity to try and restructure as the fire department has and give them some room to do that,? he said. ‘Only $71,000 I think is very little wiggle room, especially when their projected budget is $760,000 over revenue for 2010.?
Carson recommended lowering the safety path levy to whatever the increases were going to be in the other areas, so township wide there would be a ‘net wash.?
The board voted to keep the general fund the current levy of 0.9974, which brings in $1,620,960.52 revenue Petterson opposed the motion.
Fire was from 2.8425 to 2.96 mills, which brings in a total of $4,810,550.56, Library was set at the maximum 0.691, which yields $1,123,003.53. Petterson and Carson opposed. Police was set a max levy of 2.0547, which brings in $3,339,269.67. VanderVeen voted against police.
The board tabled discussion for the safety path millage for the Sept. 22 special meeting, where they took voted on Carson’s recommendation to set the safety path to offset the other raises. Safety Path was set from .3602 to .1763 levy, which equals $270,000.
Total combined revenue for the township will be $11,163,784.28
‘The key was there was no way we could walk away and increase the milage rate. You got to have compassion for the people out there,? Carson said. ‘It’s just becoming a huge burden, now we have to live within our means.?