Tuesday, August 3, Columbia Township voters will decide on renewing a property tax in support of the Columbia Township Fire Department and Columbia Township Police Department.  Some voters have already received absentee ballots. 

A “yes” vote means you want to renew the millage which will maintain current funding and service.  A “no” is a vote to end this funding.  If the renewal is defeated, a cut in service is likely to follow.  

The ballot language is a bit tough to follow, and it is further explained below. 

Here is the language for the Fire Department renewal:

MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSITION NO.1
.4405 MILL FOR FIRE PROTECTION PURPOSES
Shall the expiring previously voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Columbia Township, of .5 mill ($.50 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to .4405 mills ($.4405 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at .4405 mills ($.4405 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 5 years, 2022 through 2026, inclusive, to solely provide fire protection within Columbia Township, including the operation of the Columbia Township Fire Department, raising an estimated $194,674 in the first year the millage is levied.

Here is the language for the police renewal.

MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSITION NO.2
.8814 MILL FOR POLICE PROTECTION PURPOSES
Shall the expiring previously voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Columbia Township, of 1 mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to .8814 mills ($.8814 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at .8814 mills ($.8814 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 5 years, 2022 through 2026, inclusive, to solely provide police protection within Columbia Township, including the operation of the Columbia Township Police Department, raising an estimated $389,526 in the first year the millage is levied.

The tax limitation referred noted in the renewal language refers to the Headlee amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1978.  Columbia Township Treasurer (and Clark Lake resident) John Calhoun explains how this works:

“In 1978 Michigan voters approved the Headlee tax limitation on property taxes in an effort to limit state and local spending.  The Headlee amendment affected local taxes and also local millage renewals.  Primarily, Headlee requires voter approval for any local tax increases or new taxes established after its adoption.  So, if a property tax increases due to increased property assessments, there is a limit on how much local millages can increase, especially millage renewals. 

“The original tax revenue requested from the millage in the year it was passed cannot be increased.  It is reduced by a calculated amount at each renewal so that the total revenue received from the property tax in the renewal year, is not a greater amount that the original millage revenue. 

“Headlee protects the property owner from runaway tax increases in the future.  Our original local police and fire millage renewals, (1 mil per thousand for police and .5 mil for fire) have been fractionally reduced from the original amount each time there is a renewal so that original amount of revenue received by the local government remains the same.

 

 

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