My fellow Lake Orion neighbors, I’m asking you to vote No Nov. 7 to protect the DDA and keep in place all the funding that makes downtown attractive for residents, businesses and visitors.
I’m a 20-year community member and recently we made the move to the village. My wife and I moved downtown specifically because of the improvements we’ve observed over the time we’ve been in the community.
We love the walk to downtown for dinner and all the great options. Choices were not like that just a few years ago.
We like participating in DDA events. My wife just attended Witches Night with friends. It’s such a nice downtown, and if you want, take a short trolley ride to Oxford for even more options.
For us, we like the easy stroll into town with friends and neighbors where we’ve attended many of the street fairs, or visited Children’s Park. I’m often found at ABeanToGo for afternoon espresso or visiting with friends.
All this and much more makes the LO Downtown a plus for the region and us residents. Without the focused effort of the DDA I don’t believe the region would be as vibrant.
If you appreciate some of what I listed and want the DDA to keep up its work, the DDA will need to raise more than $400,000 in new money to replace what it will lose if the ballot proposal passes and defunds the DDA.
Taxing authorities send the DDA money from taxes collected and forward it to the DDA. Right or wrong, this is how the DDA is financed. The vote is about returning funds to these taxing authorities who would stop supporting this regional gem called Lake Orion Downtown.
Please, vote no and save the DDA from defunding. And, come and volunteer at the DDA.

Don Watza
Lake Orion