Grant Twp. News You Can Use: Where the money will go and what’s wrong with our Property Tax System

By now you should have received your winter tax bills, there were some surprises.
Each year I try to get a handle on where our property tax dollars go. A lot of the items on your tax bill are voter approved. If you were asleep and didn’t vote shame on you and therefore have nothing to complain about. What I’ve found, clearly less than 30% of eligible voters on average even vote when property millages are subject to voter referendum. Here is the list of millages and how much Grant Township contributes to each one:
County Seniors .74870 mills = $82,500 County Transit .49920 mills = $55,005
County 911 .34940 = $38,500 4H .12980 mills = $24,275 Animal Control .29950 mills =$23,000
Gypsy Moth .99850 mills = $110,000 Total non exempt School Operating 17.80240 mills = $646,500
Clare School Debt 2.9 mills = $ 170,600 Farwell School Debt 3 mills = $154,000
RESD Operating .40470 mills = $20,777 RESD Special Ed 1.62 mills = $83,200
RESD Tech Ed .99330 mills = $51,000 Mid Michigan College 1.22 mills = $134,500
State Education Tax 6.0 mills = $654,000 Clare County Operating 4.707 mills = $513,000
Pere Marquette District Library .99230 mills = $109,300 + $18,700 in penal fines totaling $128,000
The following are millage amounts that are used to support the Township:
Township Operating .74720 mills = $82,300 Township Fire 1.09380 mills = $120,500
Township Roads 1.19320 mills = $131,500 Grant Townships Rubbish assessment stands at $144 per residence which generates $220,700 annually, this may change due to the inflation tax.
The approximately 600 acres in Grant Township which unfortunately sets in the Little Tobacco Drain District generates $49,000 towards this assessment. The assessment increased this year because of finance costs.
Most all of the millage levies have been reduced by Headlee rollbacks. The Article 9, Michigan Constitution provisions limit taxation by an inflation calculation, this was passed by voters in 1978.
As it relates to our General Property Tax structure, there have been some analysis that both the Headlee Amendments (1978) and Proposal A (1994) have placed the Local Governments in a bad position. I can offer some criticism for that analysis here based upon some historical facts. The Citizens Research Council and by reprinting its report, the Michigan Townships Association assume a collision of revenues and expenditures will occur. More specifically in many areas increased growth will end, therefore the increases in property tax revenues will not be able to support expenditures. But the fault doesn’t lie entirely on this theory. In my last article it was outlined that Government Policy shapes these things. The Executive and Legislative Branches in both Washington and at the State level are entirely to blame. At the State Level here in Michigan it’s clearly evident Lansing each year shifts costs to local governments. According to the Citizens Research Council the following data was obtained. In the year 2000 the State Tax System had 46 taxes of all sorts and 11 exemptions to property taxes. 21 years later we now have 67 taxes of all sorts and 22 exemptions to property taxes. A 47% increase in the taxing system and 100% in property tax exemptions. Property tax exemptions shift more burden to local taxpayers. If the trend continues, Local Governments will continue to be strapped for cash. The State continues to offer corporate welfare without impacting its budget but causing Local Government to bear the burden. That folks is where the trouble lies. In the past I’ve labeled Lansing Government at all levels “lawbreakers”, the trend continues. The so-called leaders in Lansing have transferred so much rulemaking to the individual state departments, they can’t comprehend what has happened. It also has been demonstrated they lack reading comprehension. We’ll just leave it at a lack of “comprehensive control”. A few years ago the anointed Lansing Leadership attempted “Assessing Reform”, its convoluted result was a larger cost burden for Local Governments. I describe it as trying to fix your cars engine by pouring sand in the crankcase. It made things quiet until we realize the engine quit running.
Next year will be a good year to change the leadership in Lansing. If you meet a candidate for State office, ask them one thing. What will you do to stop Lansing’s attempt to shortchange local government and increase my property tax burden? Some won’t know how to answer or act clueless. Learn to spot it.