Ann Arbor officials asking public to chime in on tax increase for sidewalk repairs
Ann Arbor officials say they're interested in gauging the public’s interest on whether the city should assume responsibility for repairing city sidewalks.
And if so, they want to know whether the scope of the city's current street reconstruction millage should be expanded to cover the costs of the new program.
The city is inviting the public to chime in on the idea at three meetings before the Ann Arbor City Council decides whether to put the issue on the November ballot for voters to consider.
The meetings will be held at the following dates and times:
The city's current sidewalk repair program requires homeowners to hire private contractors to do repairs needed adjacent to their properties. That's often at a cost of $125 for every 5-foot-by-5-foot slab.
Photo courtesy of City of Ann Arbor
- Wednesday, June 22, 7-8:30 p.m., Gallup Park Conference Room, 3000 Fuller Road.
- Wednesday, June 29, 7-8:30 p.m., Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin Ave., in Burns Park.
- Thursday, June 30, 7-8:30 p.m., Cobblestone Farm, 2781 Packard Road.
Residents also are encouraged to participate in a 5-minute survey that will be posted online from June 20 through July 5 at www.a2gov.org/StreetMillage.
The city's current sidewalk repair program requires homeowners to hire private contractors to do repairs needed adjacent to their properties. That's often at a cost of $125 for every 5-foot-by-5-foot slab, an arrangement that's frustrated city residents.
Ann Arbor officials say the plan to shift responsibility for sidewalk repairs back to the city would require voter approval of an increase in the street millage from 2 mills to 2.125 mills. That means all city residents will be sharing in the costs of repairing damaged city sidewalks — not just the residents who happen to live in areas where the sidewalks are cracking.
According to data provided by the city, the current street millage levy translates into an annual property tax obligation of $214 for the average house in Ann Arbor.
City officials say the tax increase would raise an extra $500,000 a year, which would be enough to cover ongoing sidewalk repairs. That translates to about $13.37 for a resident with an average assessed home value of $107,000 and an estimated market value of $214,000.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
mr_annarbor
Mon, Jun 20, 2011 : 12:55 a.m.
The sidewalk repair thing was really ridiculous, in my opinion. As for this new tax, I'm against it. I have no sidewalks, and I'd only pay without really getting any benefit from it.
ChunkyPastaSauce
Sun, Jun 19, 2011 : 5:19 a.m.
For 26 dollars a year, a property owner doesn't have to worry about hundreds in sidewalk repairs. Sounds pretty good to me.
snapshot
Sun, Jun 19, 2011 : 4:37 a.m.
Officials don't care what you say on this site, write your reps directly.
Roger Roth
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 11:56 p.m.
I see a few drink my brand of Kool-Aid. First, I wouldn't do a thing until I gave a courtesy call to Rick, just to get his input on this all-important matter. Then, I'd levy a sidewalk tax plus, make all sidewalks toll sidewalks. In this era of assault on property owners, each owner could assess a minimal fee for people to pass in front of their houses, say 25-cents. They could send 90% of it to the city (I think that's fair, given the city's needs). Then the city could use the windfall to offset any tax considerations given to favored property owners, such as businesses and others. If I could get away with not doing that, then I'd hire some consultants to make a multi-year study on the financial feasibility of toll sidewalks. I'm sure Rick could make some recommendations there. Then, if people started to get a little impatient with paying the tolls and taxes, I'd refer them to the head of the consulting firm, who, I'm sure, would go to great lengths to explain the process in the most lucid jargon. The main thing is that I'd buy a couple years to further bury facts or otherwise throw citizens off and then, when the next election came up, if the economy hadn't turned around by that time, I'd just get the spin machine going. Under no circumstances would I use any money collected from sidewalk use to repair sidewalks. That would be highly unAmerican and I'm a patriot, through and through. Besides, government's way to big to be throwing more and more money around, especially on pedestrian things like sidewalks.
cette
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 9:31 p.m.
Bad idea, no dice. It's just a way to pull in more money, and then divert it.
blahblahblah
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 7:58 p.m.
Since we are talking about the November elections, how about putting the sale of parkland on the ballot as stated by city law? You know the upcoming sale of Fuller park for the massive U of M - 5-8 story parking garage (Fuller Station) in the middle of the Huron river valley. Oh wait, it's not a sale, it's a free giveaway, so I guess no vote is required. This is just plain pathetic!
a2susan
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 6:32 p.m.
About that "threatening letter" that Ken refers to. When we received our letter we called the phone number provided and were told that in fact no inspections had been done and that everyone had simply been sent the letter. It was infuriating because we had complied with the fix it yourself rule and instead of being thanked or acknowledged we're simply threatened. How nice of Ann Arbor to show their appreciation for individuals doing the city's job - and I say that because most slabs that had to be replaced are ones that have been pushed up by tree roots - trees that the city owns.
a2grateful
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 5:51 p.m.
$28 million in current unspent street millage money = derelict mismanagement of street millage funds. $28 million in unspent street millage money = worst roads in the state (or 3rd worst, if you wish to belabor the point). Derelict mismanagement of street millage funds = reason to defeat street millage renewal. Worst roads in the state = reason to defeat street millage renewal, until all existing funds are spent. "Free sidewalk repair for all" = giant smokescreen to cover derelict mismanagement of street millage funds. When representatives fail to manage and protect our precious millage funds (parks, streets, etc) they have no right to expect public trust. "NO !" to street millage renewal, and associated fake "free sidewalks for everyone" millage renewal bribe.
mike gatti
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 5:50 p.m.
No the City should keep the sidewalk thing the way it is and have a millage to keep Police on the Street. The AAPD at the rate it is going will have 100 sworn officers at some point in the near future. That is down from almost 200 only 9 years ago. Oddly the highpoint was partly from Federal funds from the Clinton years (something many of our folks in blue and those running the state now won't give him credit for) Yes it is all fun and games and the Mayors "Green Fest" and downtown car shows every Friday and Restaurant weeks and Library programs about Ann Arbor's role in the peace movement, the anti-war movement, the whatever movement but we need Police and Fire protection no matter how cool, progressive and groovy we are.
Deb Burch
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 5:04 p.m.
It sounds like the program has not been managed very well. Not only are the owners that replaced their walks getting dinged but so are the new owners of property that are being made to pay for replacing the walks that were not done by the previous owner when notified in 2008... I hope someone is looking into why that happened and putting a process in place to make sure it does not happen again.
zags
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 4:33 p.m.
Since I already paid $750 for my sidewalk repair I would love to get a rebate for something the city should be doing. At a $13 a year additional tax I should be good for another 57 years. Thanks Ann Arbor for asking for an additional tax AFTER we have all paid to repair our sidewalks. What's next? Will they ask for a tax to restore the fall leaf collection?
Tintin Milou
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 4:33 p.m.
Why just doing that for sidewalks? I find it a brilliant idea to require homeowners to repair the adjacent part of the road. This can reduce the millage and it will clearly improve the condition of our roads. This is part of being a responsible citizen, pay for the road repair in front of your house and keep the city out of it!
xmo
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 4:02 p.m.
How long after the city starts collecting a tax for side walk repairs from home owners will it take the city to divert these funds for other projects? I am sure a one time a millage was passed to cover side walk repair but it has long since forgotten and now the city is trying to collect it again. This is part of being a responsible citizen, pay for the side walk repair in front of your house and keep the city out of it!
lynel
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 3:44 p.m.
If everyone in the city has replaced their sidewalks we would all have repaired our sidewalks at our own expense. It would seem to me that we would all be starting this millage with decent sidewalks then the millage would help us all equally in the future. BUT if some neighborhoods or areas are currently in need of repair and this millage would start off going to those repairs, I say NO FAIR!
Ken
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 3:29 p.m.
Yes, I would be interested in knowing the City Officials' ideas of what to do about the folks who already paid to have their sidewalks repaired per the threatening letter provided by the City. Further, shouldn't we look at current programs supported by our already VERY high property taxes? Why is it that every new proposal requires yet another millage increase? Why can't we do "zero based budgeting" and review the expenditures every year or every two years?
paxsolace
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 3:29 p.m.
Why now? Why after I paid over $500.00? The sidewalk was like that when I moved in and it wasn't that bad to begin with but it was marked to repair. So I did it while others with no sidewalk or sidewalks as "bad" as "mine" that were not marked did not pay. Those that repaired "their" sidewalks should at least get a tax break. Instead there's a tax increase proposed for sidewalk repairs? Whenever I tell people I live in Ann Arbor they ask, "Why?" because of the taxes. I like Ann Arbor but sometimes I wonder. Sometimes it feels like we're paying more and much more for less services or for "consults" that could be solved or managed with common sense. Ann Arbor is not the same city I grew up in--it's pushing the middle class out. I will not be able to go to the meetings because of my work schedule--I hope someone mentions my email here. Thank you.
1bit
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 3:05 p.m.
I like grye's idea from another thread where the money would be put in a fund where residents could then be reimbursed. The city could cap reimbursement at a set rate per slab, have approved contractors, etc. I also think the fund should be made retroactive so that residents who performed repairs at their own expense over the past five years could also be reimbursed.
WhyCan'tWeBeFriends
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 2:59 p.m.
If I understood the program, homeowners did their own repairs. If they didn't do repairs by a certain date and had been flagged by the city as requiring repairs, the city would assess those owners for that property's repairs by city workers. That is certainly fairer than having owners requiring no repairs helping to pay for those who do require repairs. Rewarding procrastination does not seem like sound fiscal strategy. And the owners who have already paid for their repair costs, they are to pay again? Bad.
lynel
Sat, Jun 18, 2011 : 2:42 p.m.
Ryan, I thought there was still a year or two left to the city's sidewalk replacement program. Has the whole city been done? Could you find out?