Ortonville- Consolidation of services, property tax reform and changes in education were just some of the issues discussed on Tuesday afternoon as Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard M. ‘Dick? DeVos, Jr. visited with area officials at township offices.
DeVos, 50, an Ada, Mich. resident and former president of Alticor, Inc. (Amway Corp.), will run unopposed in the August GOP primary election. DeVos is currently president of The Windquest Group, an investment company based in the Grand Rapids area.
‘Local townships are struggling,? says Ron Lapp, Brandon Township supervisor, who spoke with DeVos, as did Bob DePalma, Groveland Township supervisor; Ed Coy, Ortonville village manager; Jeannie McCreery, Brandon Township clerk; Bill Paterson, Oakland County Commissioner District 1; and Mary Kassuba, Brandon Township deputy supervisor.
‘And right now we don’t see any relief on the horizon.?
DeVos, who has never held public office, addressed several concerns of area township governments.
‘What can we do to get tax policys in this state adjusted?? asked DeVos. ‘What can we do to get coherence in government and some continuity and consistency with which investor job creators can invest in this economy??
‘The folks in Michigan are having a hard time and are now finally understanding the reality that in our lifetime the Michigan economy is becoming disconnected with the national economy. We’re not even in the middle of the pack,? said DeVos.
For example, the 2004 gross state product was the slowest growth in any state of the nation, he said. ‘Unemployment in Michigan is anywhere from 46th to 50th in the nation. We’re the only state in the union where jobs are down. Other states are trying to spend their surplus’they’ve got extra.?
Lapp and others questioned DeVos on tax and funding issues with regard to local governments.
‘We have the leanest budget we’ve ever passed,? said Lapp.
‘We’re working to keep the doors open at our senior center. It’s getting more and more difficult to provide the necessary services at this level. It’s pretty clear to me that Jenny (Granholm) wants to drive and force us to levy taxes to replace our state shared revenues. We pay really high taxes now, it’s very difficult for us or other township to function and I don’t see any hope on the horizon. I don’t see anything in Lansing that lets me think they are going to spur on the economy.?
‘You’re not alone,? said DeVos. ‘Some of the boundaries are breaking down, we all need to share some of the responsibilities of government.?
DeVos promoted his ideas on consolidation of services at different levels including the township level, and in education. DeVos also suggested an elimination of personal property tax in Michigan calling the current tax situation, ‘miserable to manage and a disincentive to business to invest in.?
‘There’s good opportunity for rebalancing the current administrations at all levels.?
DeVos’s visit on Tuesday was part of an 83-county campaign tour.