Bloomfield Township Public Safety Millage Passes Overwhelmingly
Voters authorize renewal of 10-year millage that covers roughly one-third of public safety costs.
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More than 81 percent of Bloomfield Township voters approved a 2.39-mill tax renewal Tuesday that will maintain the current level of public safety services.
Unofficial election results from the Bloomfield Township Clerk's Office show the measure passed in all precincts Tuesday. At stake was the potential to lose roughly one-third of the budget allocated to police and fire-related services to township residents and businesses. A scenario that certainly would have meant layoffs in both the police and fire departments, said Township Supervisor Leo Savoie.
"It's really good to see," said Savoie while greeting poll workers at Bloomfield Township Hall Tuesday Night. "It's good to see the community stand behind the departments and it's a strong affirmation for what they're doing."
The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved the ballot language for the 10-year levy in May. The move followed a survey by Mitchell Research and Communications, Inc., which reported that 75 percent of residents polled indicated they would either vote "yes" or probably vote "yes" on the measure.
The township will begin collecting the tax on Dec. 13, and expects to generate $7.41 million in the first year to help supplement the $24 million public safety budget. Residents approved additional funding in 2010 that is used to defray the remaining cost.
Jenny Greenwell
10:11 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Unanimously? I think we need a re-count.....
Art Aisner
10:35 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Ha ha! A copy editor at heart! Thanks Jenny.
Marcia Robovitsky
10:44 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Let's get this PUBLIC SAFETY funding issue clear. The millage that just received a yes vote from the "majority" for the next ten years is only ONE of FIVE millages that fund public safety. By having many millages spread out over many years, each time the township leadership asks for RENEWED funding...the number may seem small and worthy of continuation. But one must LOOK at the entire picture and decide at some point, when is enough enough? Each year, the # of active employees remain the same, but the RETIREE costs and numbers goes up.
The following statement in this PATCH article is not correct:
"Residents approved additional funding in 2010 that is used to defray the remaining cost."
THE REMAINING COST is much more than than the 1.3 mills that the township asked for in February 2010. That new tax was presented to the taxpayers as a GENERAL OBLIGATION tax for 10 years..available to be spent anyway from the general fund....but 90% of the approximate $4 million collected goes to public safety. You will find this money is the public safety fund budget as "transfer" from general fund.
Other DEDICATED millages, meaning the money collected may ONLY be spent on Public Safety are:
Expiring in 2013: 1.25 mills at about $4.5 million per year
Expiring in 2015: 1.00 mills at about $2.7 million per year
Expiring in 2016: 2.80 mills at about $8.0 million per year
The Feb. 2010 and this Aug. 2012 past millages for 1.3 and 2.3 mills will be collected until 2020 and 2022.
Marcia Robovitsky
12:04 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
More than 62% of Township voters DID NOT SHOW UP AT THE POLLS !
Bloomfield Township has 34,449 registered voters. Only 13,090 of them showed up at the ballot box yesterday. Only 11,980 of those voters actually voted on the public safety millage. Apparently 1110 voters forgot to look on the back of the ballot for other issues, including the public safety proposal or they simply chose not to vote on the public safety issue. 9721 votes were yes...with the majority of those votes by ABSENTEE BALLOT.
Therefore, when articles are written and supervisors or others start quoting percentages of victories , remember, it is percentages of VOTES CAST and not POTENTIAL VOTERS. But votes are what counts.
I want to know when the NON-VOTING 21,359 people are going to wake up and participate in Bloomfield Township government and issues? Just asking.
From an article by Lisa Brody and Hayley Beitman in DOWNTOWN online:
http://www.downtownpublications.com
"Primary voter turnout was mixed in the three communities. In Bloomfield Township, out of a total of 34,449 registered voters, 13,090 ballots were cast, of which 6,048 were from absentee voters.,
Approximately 81 percent of Bloomfield Township voters agreed to renew the 10-year millage for public safety services. Out of 11,980 votes cast in Bloomfield Township, 9,721 voters were in favor of the millage. Of those votes, 89 percent of those in favor of the millage were from absentee ballots."