Traverse City Record-Eagle

East Bay

August 22, 2009

Board reverses millage position

FROM STAFF REPORTS

TRAVERSE CITY -- East Bay Township residents will vote on a road millage after the township board reversed itself before a standing-room only crowd at the township hall.

The board voted 4-3 Friday night to put the question of a 1-mill levy for local road improvements on the Nov. 3 ballot. Trustee Butch Strait reversed his earlier vote against putting it on the ballot while Trustee Dale McAllister, who missed the earlier vote, broke the 3-3 tie. They were joined by Supervisor Glen Lile and Treasurer Tracey Bartlett.

Clerk Susanne Courtade and trustees Matt Courtade and Bryan Marrow voted no, saying there wouldn't be enough turn-out at the off-year election, a county-wide millage would be more appropriate, and the poor economy makes it a bad time to raise taxes.

Grand Traverse County is considering a millage request in 2010. The township proposal will reduce its tax by whatever the county might levy so township property owners would never pay more than 1 mill, Lile said.

Lile said it may be a bad time to raise taxes, but that's a question for the voters to decide, not the board.

"As for the timing of the election, the people who are for it will come out to vote and the people who are against it will come out and vote, and the people who don't care won't come out to vote anyway," Lile said.

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