Augusta Township residents will vote on police millage
Residents of Augusta Township will vote in November on a 1.8 mill tax levy that would restore regular police patrols to the township.
The five-year millage would provide for two Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department deputies and generate an estimated $375,000 in revenue in the first year. The owner of a home with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay $180 a year.
The township has not had regular two-deputy coverage since voters rejected two similar police services millages in 2008.
A full-time WCSD deputy costs $165,000. That figure is set by the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners and subject to annual increases. Augusta Township and two other area plaintiffs recently lost a lawsuit in which they contended the county signed a contract allowing the per-deputy rate to increase only slightly through 2011.
The Township Board unanimously approved millage language at a recent meeting. Township officials said they have heard from residents that there is an increased fear of crime because of the economy. Supervisor Pete Hafler said he didn’t have any numbers to confirm that crime was up or down, but said the township's most serious crime-related issue is break-ins.
“In the city they got neighbors to look out for each other, but out in the country folks don’t have neighbors always,” he said. “They’re few and far in between. We need officers out here that will patrol our rural areas.”
Hafler said he has had a strong rapport with the WCSD in the past and that the agency was able to provide a deputy who "traveled the back roads, stopped and met people and was a real township officer.”
After the 2008 millage requests failed, the township did not notify the Sheriff's Department that the millage had been defeated, and the township would be terminating its contract. As a result, the township was forced into another six-month contract for two deputies with the WCSD, but negotiated to have one deputy for a year instead.
The township paid $300,000 out of its $700,000 general fund for coverage before its contract ended.
No deputies have regularly patrolled the township since December 2008, but the Michigan State Police and WCSD both respond to calls.
In 2009, no board member put forth language for a police services millage.
Ypsilanti Township’s Board of Trustees also recently approved language for a police services millage that would allow it to contract for up to four more deputies with the WCSD.
Comments
Jay Allen
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 9:19 a.m.
Do not forget health insurance. I have no idea of the cost, but for an officer it cannot be cheap. Then on taxes, remember it is 2 x FICA + Fed. I 100% agree with bornnraised, do not think an officer is going to make 165K and if you do think that, please do not post.
stunhsif
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 8:19 a.m.
A2.com, please provide a breakdown at how the cost for an officer is determined. Obviously, whomever pays their "bill" has to pay their income and fund their "Cadillac" healthcare and retirement pension costs. Then you add the cost for the vehicles and all related expenses like fuel, repairs etc.
BornNRaised
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 7:05 a.m.
In this economic time, it would be nice to have line items for each and every cost. But the reality is that it's easier to lump all the costs into one line item. Unfortunately, that line item is the officer themselves. The costs include, obviously, salaries. But the county also factors in equipment, vehicles, maintenance, training, etc. When communities ask for county officers, they want the bottom line. "Give me a number for an officer." Doesn't mean THAT officer makes $165,000 per year. You'd be a fool to think that. Take a look into a patrol car one day and see all of the equipment: radios, restraints, ammunition, weapons, computers. It takes quite a bit. Just wanted to clear that up before all the bloggers start thinking an officer is getting $165k a year.
Chris
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 5:32 a.m.
How the hell can it cost $165,000 per year for a Police officer!!??? We need to look into outsorceing. Someone is ripping off us tax payers to the extreme.