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Posted on Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:55 a.m.

Washtenaw County looks to renew taxes for veterans relief, agriculture and economic development

By Ryan J. Stanton

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners gave initial approval Wednesday night to renew two county taxes — an agriculture and economic development millage expected to raise $688,913 next year and a veterans relief millage expected to raise $344,486.

Both were approved in committee and await final approval on Sept. 21. The veterans relief millage passed 10-0 with Commissioner Ronnie Peterson, D-Ypsilanti Township, absent.

The agriculture and economic development levy — more commonly known as an Act 88 millage — passed 7-3 with dissent from Commissioners Dan Smith, R-Northfield Township; Alicia Ping, R-Saline; and Wesley Prater, D-York Township.

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Verna McDaniel

Public Act 88 of 1913 allows counties in Michigan to levy a millage of up to 5 cents on each $100 of taxable value to fund agriculture and economic development programs.

The board has taken advantage of that law and approved the millage each year since 2009.

Funds from the 0.05-mill tax to be levied this December would be used during calendar year 2012 to fund several agencies:

County Administrator Verna McDaniel said in a memo to the board that the $603,000 spent on those programs last year allowed the county to leverage another $7 million.

County officials decided to implement an Act 88 millage for the first time in late 2009, using the funds to help offset money from the county’s struggling general fund that had in previous years funded agriculture and economic development initiatives.

McDaniel said the Act 88 millage can be approved by the board without a vote of the people because it predates the state's Headlee Amendment by 65 years.

Similarly, the county board is authorized to levy the veterans relief millage without a vote of the people under a state law dating back to 1899.

The $344,486 in revenue from the 0.025-mill veterans relief tax to be levied in December would be used in calendar year 2012 to provide relief for honorably discharged indigent members of the armed forces and their spouses, minor children and parents.

The millage rate is the same as previous years, but it's estimated to collect about $11,000 less due to projected decreases in property values.

Ping said she voted against the Act 88 millage because the Farm Bureau at both the state and the county levels opposed it. She said a significant amount of her district is made up of farmers, and the Farm Bureau represent their interests, so she felt she should follow suit.

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Wesley Prater

Asked why he opposed the Act 88 millage, Prater said it was a matter of principle and he thinks voters should have a say on all tax issues.

Clarifying why he voted for the veterans millage, Prater pointed out the state law actually reads that “each county shall annually levy" a tax for veterans relief.

Smith's reasons for voting against the Act 88 millage were similar to Prater's.

"The voters have come to think over the years, rightly or wrongly, all technicalities aside, that they get to vote on taxes," he said.

Several members of the public spoke in favor of the Act 88 millage during a public hearing Wednesday night, including representatives of the Eastern Leaders Group, SPARK, the city of Ypsilanti, the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority and others.

"We believe that Washtenaw County can and should utilize the funding source made available through Act 88 to further economic development within the county, especially through organizations such as SPARK," Diane Keller, president and CEO of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement to commissioners.

Keller added state Act 88 is in need of revision to provide greater clarity on what types of initiatives and organizations it should fund. She encouraged the county to revise its guidelines for the appropriation process for Act 88 funding to provide more transparency.

The Ann Arbor City Council passed a resolution recently calling the Act 88 millage revenue vital to local efforts to promote economic development.

The 0.05 mills expected to be levied this year is actually a slight increase from the previous 0.043-mill levy, which the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority noted in a resolution of support is less than a tenth of the amount allowed under state law.

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

snapshot

Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.

Thank you Wesley Prater. It's nice to know someone on this board actually understands how excluded citizens feel by local officials and their "good 'ole boy" network of backscratching.

HCaulfield

Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 1:54 a.m.

I remember reading that Washtenaw County has two "Convention and Visitors" Bureaus that are funded by a county-wide hotel room tax that is supposed to go to tourism promotion. Why is the county making citizens fund # $65,264 to promote Heritage Tourism in Washtenaw County?

KeepingItReal

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 6:08 p.m.

I would like to thank commissioners Prater, Ping and Dan Smith was not supporting this millage. It's time this law was repealed.

Monica R-W

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:21 p.m.

Ryan, will you include in a later article the debate that took place last night about P.A. #98 at the Washtenaw Board of Commissioners meeting? It was interesting and directly impacts employment opportunities for unionized contractors bidding on Washtenaw County projects.

JSA

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 3:56 p.m.

There should be no funding for SPARK until there is a full accounting of how the money is spent and that accounting is available to the public. Taxation is the province of the electorate and not the politicians. Except in Ann Arbor/Washtenaw County. Same old garbage.

free

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:27 p.m.

Kwame Kilpatrick needs a job. Hire him to run SPARK.

Townie

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:52 p.m.

Once again SPARK gets to drink from the public trough and not share any data on how it spends the money, its audit, its job creation numbers. A total bye from our County representatives - again. You have to laugh to hear this: '"We believe that Washtenaw County can and should utilize the funding source made available through Act 88 to further economic development within the county, especially through organizations such as SPARK," Diane Keller, president and CEO of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement to commissioners. Keller added state Act 88 is in need of revision to provide greater clarity on what types of initiatives and organizations it should fund. She encouraged the county to revise its guidelines for the appropriation process for Act 88 funding to provide more transparency.' OK Diane -- how about some transparency with SPARK? Why are the audits 'TOP SECRET'? Why is transparency great until it comes to SPARK? Why the secrecy? Do you have something to hide? Must be since no other reason is every cited (except for the laughable 'we're a private non-profit so we don't have to show anything' -- while using tons of tax payer funds. What a joke.

DonBee

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:19 p.m.

Taxation without representation, as usual by the county board. The voters did not like the jail millage, find a way to build it anyway. The voters did not like...find a way to do it anyway...seems to be the way the country board works. More for me and my causes seems to be the rally cry of the county board. I am not surprised they will do it again, after all, in ONE PARTY WASHTENAW the county board never has to worry. They can even "dis" the voters on reimbursements.

braggslaw

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 11:53 a.m.

Unless prevented, govt. will always find reasons to tax and to use any tax levers might be available. It is up to the taxpayers to make them accountable.

Treelover

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 11:52 a.m.

Thank the voters (and non votes) for this lack of responsible leadership. I agree annarboral, a slush fund.... VOTE them out!

annarboral

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 11:31 a.m.

Why is it that Democrats always raise taxes and then waste the funds on vague concepts like "economic development". It's a slush fund used to promote thier democratic buddies. Taxes increases should be authorized by the voters. What a concept.

A2comments

Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 11:03 a.m.

SPARK should get no tax revenue until they are transparent with their financial. It is outrageous that this funding continues, and I will vote against these people the next time they are up for reelection.