Addison Township officials agreed Feb. 20 on the language for an eight-year, 3.5-mill property tax renewal to maintain the current staffing level at Addison’s Oakland County Sheriff’s substation.
So as not to confuse voters, the township’s two expired police millages are being combined into one proposal to vote on in the August 8 election.
Voters originally approved 2.5 mills for police services in 1986 and 1 mill in 2002 to increase staffing from five to six deputies. Both millages expired in December 2005.
Officials decided to combine the two millages to 3.5 mills for a period of eight years instead of the 10 years originally planned.
‘I know when we start (with 10 years) it sounds like we’ve got a cushion, but the police contract is going up $80,000 in one year,? Treasurer Dan Alberty stated.
Addison Supervisor Bob Koski agreed to the eight year period so the Headlee rollback won’t ‘hit as hard.?
‘At eight years we think it’ll be good because we’re going to be able to build up some surplus by collecting a little more for the first couple of years,? he said.
Headlee Amendment rollbacks reduced these rates from 2.5 to 1.9393 mill and 1 to 0.9357 mills respectively in their final levies last year.
Addison currently pays $884,832.70 for contract services with the sheriff’s department.
Presently, the substation operates with six deputies, one detective/sergeant and one patrol sergeant shared with Oxford and Brandon.
‘We have the bare minimum of deputies we can have right now for 24-hour service,? Alberty said.
In addition, Addison also benefits from the sheriff’s Special Response Team, K-9 unit, two helicopters, marine and reserve units and technical services through a crime lab.