In response to Michael Lamb’s’ letter regarding the Special Assessment policy. It seems it’s a good time to revisit the fact that Lake Orion is undoubtedly doing very well, particularly the downtown, where I dare you to find a parking spot after 5 p.m., or anytime on the weekend, due to the huge influx of patrons to all of the downtown bars and restaurants.
Yes, it’s understood that in 1985 there was sufficient rationale for the DDA to take a big bite out of village tax revenue to help strengthen the downtown businesses.
Per the DDA GOALS as noted in the DDA Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Development Plan 2020, it’s safe to say that goals such as “Improve the overall business climate of the district and deter economic decline” have surely been met.
Now, in 2023, the downtown, is undoubtedly thriving and with every new development that comes in (assuming it’s not one of the many with a sweetheart 100 percent tax abatement deal), the vast majority of the tax revenue goes to the DDA, not the village.
Great for the downtown businesses, not so much for the residents who are now facing a NEW Special Assessment (euphemism for TAX INCREASES) to cover our crumbling infrastructure (roads, sewers, water, etc.).
The question is:
Considering the booming success the downtown has experienced over the past decade or so, and the mountain of needed maintenance for village infrastructure repairs, is it time to reevaluate the tax capture division between the Village and the DDA?
Or, is everyone ready willing and able to deal with an even greater tax burden than village residents already have?
And NO, I’m not advocating doing away with the DDA, just more logically and fairly allocating tax dollars.
Kevin Breslin
Lake Orion
DDA vs. village and resident tax increases added by mmkelley on
View all posts by mmkelley →
@K.B. you have it dead center one this one but you need to change the position of two words from a question to thing to do, not IS IT TIME TO REEVALUATE ?, but IT IS TIME TO REEVALUATE the CAPTURE of res. tax MONIES from the res of the VILLAGE that are NOT in DDA’S area of their purposes and not to CHANGE the AREA of SAME to include ALL of the ” TAXABLE RESADENTUAL property in the village” so hve the monies to FIX WHAT IS BROKE and WHAT is BREAKING DOWN. BTW DDA you do not take air from three good tires IF you have BAD LEAK on one tire or by REPLACEING the OTHER THREE. This includes the P.C., and a couple other COMM. only ansew to themselfve’s, then maby its time to bring in a NEW DECK OF CARDS just tokeep the game honest and keep ALL HANDS on THE TABLE. by the way, the above wording IS just THOUGHTS, some right, some not right that they can’t be talked about and over.