Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

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December 17, 2009

City wants police value for tax

TC residents pay for sheriff, but don't get service

By Sheri McWhirter

TRAVERSE CITY -- Traverse City leaders want some bang for their bucks, or rather, the bucks city residents pay in their county taxes.

City commissioners this week discussed how city taxpayers chip in hundreds of thousands of dollars each year that help pay for road patrols by the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department. But no sheriff's patrols are done inside city limits.

Commissioners decided to approach county officials for a second time in an attempt to get something for their residents' money.

"City taxpayers are helping to financially support services they aren't getting. One solution is money and the other is services," said Mayor Chris Bzdok. "The city has a very valid concern here."

The idea of getting more out of sheriff's services came from an advisory group -- the Citizens Operational and Financial Analysis Committee -- that recently investigated ways the city can save money. It's the first COFAC issue the new City Commission will tackle since two of the committee's members were elected last month, Commissioners Mike Gillman and MaryAnn Moore.

"Do we have any leverage to get some service for that money?" Moore asked during Monday night's commission meeting.

City Manager R. Ben Bifoss said he didn't know, but the city can ask.

City commissioners will ask county officials to establish a committee to discuss the sheriff's patrols issue, and also how the county subsidizes township law enforcement officers, but not city police officers.

They asked the same question last month, but county officials opted instead to have city and county administrators negotiate the city's nearly $200,000 annual bill for police records for which townships are not similarly billed.

That's a start, but more discussion is needed on the other issues, said city Commissioner Ralph Soffredine, a former city police chief.

"We pay a lot of money as taxpayers to the county for services. I think we should ask for equity," he said.

County Commissioners Christine Maxbauer and Ross Richardson, who represent parts of Traverse City, agreed the city is getting short-changed.

"If the city wants community policing officers like the townships have to support their police force, I'm absolutely supportive. Do I think the county should write a blank check to the city? No," Maxbauer said.

Richardson also said it's unlikely the county will simply fork over cash to the city.

"I think they'd be more willing to look at the possibility of the sheriff to provide some road patrol services," Richardson said.

Gillman said he knows it may not be easy for county officials to give the city money or pay for patrols in the city.

"I know it takes money out of their budget, but we put some of that money there in the first place," he said.

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