By Jim Newell
Review Editor
Residents will see what may look like an increase on their tax bills this July, but it is in fact the same tax rate they’ve been paying all along.
Only now, the police millage is included on the July tax bill in addition to the village General Fund operating millage tax bill.
This is the first time residents will see these changes on their tax bills, said village manager Joseph Young.
The General Fund tax rate millage remains at 10.1136 mills and the police fund at 2.9885 mills, for a total millage rate of 13.1021 mills.
Voters approved a Headlee Override at the Nov. 8, 2016 general election in order for the village to levy and collect the police millage.
The voter-approved police millage renewal did not represent a tax increase, and is expected to generate approximately $354,000 for the police services.
“In the history of this millage, it’s never not been approved,” said LOPD Chief Jerry Narsh at the time of the renewal. “It’s the same millage rate that people approved four years ago, there’s not a penny increase.”
Previously, Orion Township levied the police millage and collected it on the winter tax bill in December. The township then passed that money over to the village.
The change came after the township informed the village it would no longer collect and redistribute the tax, and that the village would take over tax collection.

2017-18 Fiscal Year Budget
The council adopted the 2017-18 fiscal year budget by a 5-0 vote at the council meeting on Monday. Council President Ken Van Portfliet and Councilmember Steve Watson were not present at the meeting.
The budget runs from July 1 through June 30, 2018.
The 2017-18 budget includes a beginning and ending General Fund balance of $444,855, with $1.652 million in expected revenues, $1.652 million in expenditures.
It also include a total beginning fund balance of $8.452 million, with $5.869 million in expected revenues and $6.045 million in expenditures. The ending total fund balance of $8.276 million represents a $176,268 deficit.
Police services actually decreased by about $23,000, from the original proposed $805,196 to $782,656.
The LOPD also has a dedicated police millage that covers about $354,000 of the department’s operating costs annually. The remaining costs are covered from the village’s general fund and other miscellaneous revenues.
Current real property taxes for 2017-18 are budgeted at $954,554, with total estimated revenues coming in at $1.652 million in the General Fund.
Total estimated major street fund revenues are projected at $175,350, while the local street fund is projected at $108,500, with matching expenses for each account.
The Downtown Development Authority total estimated revenue is $1.013 million for 2017-18, with $580,000 of that coming from property tax captures in the DDA district.
See the May 17 issue of The Lake Orion Review for a summary of the budget.
On April 10, the council received the village manager’s proposed fiscal year 2017-2018 budget.
The council then held a budget work session to review and make changes to the proposed budget on April 24, and budget and Truth in Taxation Hearing on May 8.
Copies of the budget can be viewed in the Clerk’s office at Village Hall, or online at www.lakeorion.org under “Boards” tab, then board and commission agendas and minutes link in the May 22, 2017 village council agenda packet.