It appears the Village of Oxford will be getting a $36,760 rebate next year from the township should the proposed safety path millage be approved by voters in the Aug. 5 primary election.
At the suggestion of Supervisor Bill Dunn, township officials last week voted 4-2 to ‘rebate? the portion of the proposed 10-year, 0.25-mill safety path tax collected on village properties to the village government.
If the new tax is approved by voters, township and village taxpayers would be required to pay property acquisition and construction costs for new safety paths along with maintenance and replacement costs for existing ones.
The township’s decision was in response to the village council’s opposition to their taxpayers being required to pay this millage because they’ve already funded the installation and maintenance of their own sidewalks for many years now.
‘They were not very happy with the township’s decision to put that millage on (the ballot), especially when no one went to the village to consult with them,? Dunn said.
‘I could have gone before the council. I didn’t,? admitted Lawrence Kucemba, who was instrumental in creating the millage proposal and pitching it to the township.
Kucemba, who serves on the planning commission and is running for township supervisor, said he previously spoke with village Manager Joe Young about it and ‘he said that the village wouldn’t be interested in that because (they) already have safety paths.?
Since state law prohibits excluding village properties from a township millage, with the apparent exception of police and fire taxes, Kucemba said, ‘We were unable to split the village out.?
He noted the proposed safety path millage offers a ‘community-wide benefit? that goes beyond township versus village.
‘I understand that they are being taxed, but again it’s for the benefit of the whole community,? Kucemba said.
That didn’t fly with village President Chris Bishop, who attended the township meeting.
‘I’ve heard the argument made that village residents would ride on the sidewalks in the township and I believe that’s a reasonable argument,? he said. ‘However, (conversely), I believe that township residents ride on the village sidewalks that have already been paid and provided for many years.?
‘If a (village) resident has a sidewalk in front of their house and it cracks, they’re required to replace that sidewalk,? Bishop added. ‘Now they’re being asked to place sidewalks in front of other people’s properties.?
Parks and Rec. Director Ron Davis suggested using the portion of the proposed millage collected on village properties to specifically ‘concentrate? on enhancing existing paths and creating new ones in the village.
‘There’s not a safety path that goes from Scripter Park out to Drahner Road,? he noted.
Bishop said he liked Davis? idea, ‘but I think I like Ron’s suggestion a hell of a lot better before we put it on the ballot.?
‘This discussion should have taken place prior to this being on the ballot,? said Bishop, noting none of the new paths proposed in the township plan are in the village.
All 46,500 feet (or 8.8 miles) of new safety paths outlined in the township’s plan are outside the village limits.
‘This isn’t a political football,? Bishop told the township board. ‘This is very simply taxing people within the confines of a community that’s already provided the very thing that you’re talking about providing in other areas.?
Trustee Pat Fitchena explained that many people have approached the township about the need for safety paths, especially for children. ‘We had one kid killed out on Lakeville Rd. (in the late 1990s),? she said. ‘How many more have to die because they have to walk out in the road??
She wants to see safety paths leading to all the township parks so they can be more easily accessible to children.
Fitchena pointed out that ultimately it’s up to the voters to approve this millage.
‘If they don’t want them, that’s fine and dandy,? she said. ‘We’ll accept that answer and move forward that way.?
Treasurer Joe Ferrari voted against the rebate because he ‘doesn’t think the concept is legal? since the motion included nothing about how the village could spend its portion of the proposed millage.
He would have preferred there be some sort of written agreement in place specifying that the village could only use the tax revenue for its sidewalks and safety paths.
‘I would consider it if there was a contract in front of us,? Ferrari said. ‘I would definitely consider that.?
Orion Township levies its police millage for sheriff’s services over the entire township then, per a written contract, gives the Village of Lake Orion its portion of the tax to spend on its local police department.
But Dunn didn’t want to spend tax dollars on having a contract drawn up when the proposed millage’s fate hasn’t been decided by voters yet.
‘I don’t want to spend any money,? the supervisor said. ‘It may go down in flames.?