Do you want to pay more taxes?
On 2/8/21, our Township Board discussed imposing a 1% property tax ‘administration fee’.
This fee can be enacted by a board vote and does not require citizen ballot.
This is worrisome for several reasons…
WE ALREADY ARE OVERTAXED
In 2016, we voted to enact a separate Library millage. Prior to this new tax, $93,500 per year was given to the Library from our operating fund.
Rather than reduce our taxes, our Township continues to ‘double’ tax us...
…5 years running — a total of $467,500.
THEY KEEP ASKING FOR MORE $
In addition to our state-limited property taxes, our Board continues to ask for, and we continue to approve, an extra millage.
No other township in Leelanau County requests this ‘second’ tax from its residents.
We vote on this extra millage renewal in May.
WHERE HAS OUR MONEY GONE?
In 2019, our Supervisor used an arbitrary ‘three-fold’ factor to over-assess one property 300%.
The owner filed suit; subsequent litigation cost taxpayers $51,711.
Now our Township must refund $35,544 more in over-payments & interest.
HOW IS THIS FAIR?
Our Township’s 2020-21 combined operating millage rate — a $414,950 tax — already is the second highest in Leelanau County.
A new 1% ‘administration fee’ would cost us another $137,627 per year. This ‘third’ tax equates to a 33% increase…
None of this $ goes to schools. None of this $ goes to Fire/EMS.
We have separate property taxes for those important services.
By law, this proposed 1% ‘administration fee’ only can be used for property tax and assessment-related expenses — costs that our higher extra-voted millage already covers.
Meanwhile, we still don’t have a permanent recycling site…
…our sidewalks remain in disrepair.
YOUR VOICE MATTERS
Attend online or call in to share your concerns during public comment.