Ypsilanti Township voters approve police services millage
Editor's note: The millage rate has been corrected in this story.
Ypsilanti Township voters approved a police millage that will retain the number of Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department deputies currently serving the township.
According to unofficial results from the Washtenaw County Clerk's office, 58.35 percent of voters approved the 1.5-mill tax levy. With all 20 precincts reporting, 8,717 residents voted for the proposal while 6,222 voted against it.
The millage will generate $2 million in revenue when levied on Dec. 1, and residents whose homes have an assessed value of $200,000 will pay an additional $150 annually for the life of the three-year millage.
Ypsilanti Township voters approved a police services millage.
Township officials feared they would lose seven to 10 more deputies over the next two years if the millage failed. While officials are hoping to add more deputies with the new revenue, doing so is contingent on how much the county’s per deputy cost increases and how far township tax revenues continue dropping.
Residents rejected a similar 2-mill levy in November 2009 by a margin of 168 votes. That dropped the number of deputies patrolling the streets — which doesn't include the detective bureau and command staff — from 38 to 31.
Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo attributed the success of the millage this year to the larger election and a more educated electorate.
"More voters had the option and they had a lot more information to make a good decision," she said. "This maintains the police protection in the township, which is widely important to every community, and we are just extremely grateful to the voters."
Mike Radzik, the township's director of police services, also said the township worked hard to get factual information out to voters and called it "gratifying" that residents took that information and approved the millage.
"It’s a difficult thing to ask voters to raise taxes in this economic condition, when so many people are hurting," he said. "You don’t go out and ask for more money unless you’ve already done some internal self-reflection in your budget and made all possible cuts.
"But (voters) were armed with the facts to make a reasonable decision and police service is one of the top core services government provides, and I think they had a better understanding of totality of situation as opposed to a year ago."
The township has been hit hard by a decline in its industrial tax base, a steep drop in property values and a high rate of foreclosures. The township assessor recently reported a 12 percent drop in taxable value and a 10 percent drop in tax revenues over the last two years.
Concurrently, the township has had to contend with sharp increases in the per-deputy cost handed down by the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. The cost of one deputy has increased by 6 percent over the last two years, which is roughly equivalent to 1.5 deputies. That per-deputy cost has risen by 92 percent since 2004.
The township was keeping its current levels of police services by drawing from the police fund balance, and those savings would have been entirely depleted by the end of next year.
Township officials said they still don't know what the near future will bring financially, but are confident they can sustain current levels of police services for the next three years.
"I don’t want to give false or unrealistic promises and predictions in terms of what could happen, but clearly there's a little more breathing room in terms of police protection," Radzik said. "It has been a challenge to maintain core services."
Officials have underscored the vote in no way impacts recent talks with the City of Ypsilanti on forming a joint police authority.
Several other townships countywide had similar police millages on their ballots. In Augusta Township, voters rejected a 1.8-mill levy to provide service to the township. In Northfield Township, which does not contract the Sheriff's Department, voters renewed a 1.4603-mill levy, while in Bridgewater Township, voters renewed a 1.25 mill levy.
Officials countywide who comprise a Police Services Steering Committee will be presenting a report Thursday to the county board on what they determine to be the true cost of providing one deputy to contracting municipalities. The intent to is to help bring consensus to the county's cost of providing police services.
Sheriff Jerry Clayton said he's pleased with the outcome, and it shows the community values police services.
"I know it's hard to vote for any increase of taxes because of the financial challenges we face," he said. "It indicates there's a recognized value of police services in the community, and hopefully a recognition of the value of service the Sheriffs Office provides."
Tom Perkins is a freelance writer at AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
politigal
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 7:32 p.m.
Does Brenda Stumbo ever lose an election? Why do the absentee ballots always favor her position? The Ypsilanti Courier reported that Ms Stumbo worked the polls all day handing out campaign literature in support of this millage. Let's get this straight. The tax payers pay Ms. Stumbo's salary and she continues to use her work days during election season to campaign. At least in this case, she only claims to have worked a day campaigning. In past years when she is running for election, she has been known to work months campaigning and going door to door during the work day while the tax payers paid her salary. The part I don't get is that in these difficult economic times, a majority of the voters agreed to a millage increase for the purpose of funding a system that the township is exploring options to leave. The increase was approved at a time when crime statistics have gone down. It would seem that the only reason to create a merger with the city police department would be if the same level or better services could be provided for a lower cost. If Stumbo believes we can get police services for a lower cost, why would the tax payers pay her to work all day to urge them to pass an increase that would then not be needed?
monica
Thu, Nov 4, 2010 : 9:23 a.m.
I feel the Y township residents have been blindsided in voting for police protection. Brenda Stumbo says, "we the electorate were well educated in this election." I had to hunt for information on the election and it wasn't easy as we do not get a daily paper anymore. Mike Radzik says,"we were armed with facts and knowledge that we need police protection." Are we residents considered ignorant in knowing that we need police protection! To say that we may not be able to current levels of police policing the township sure makes me feel the money may be spent elsewhere, like raises etc. I can only hope the money Y Town residents voted to increase taxes for police protection is spent wisely. As I have not had a raise in 3 years.
ybecuz
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 10:04 p.m.
What's amazing is the fact that the township board continually finds a way to fund a department that they spent over $ 1 million trying to sue. Meanwhile, they are gutting the fire department by taking 1/3 of their employees, leaving a skeleton crew and trying to reduce their wages and benefits by 50%. When asked if the fire dept could try to maintain their perpetually understaffed manpower through a similar millage attempt, they were told that the board could not support a tax increase at this time, just try to do more with less. This board has, in the course of two years, alienated their whole workforce through dishonesty and deceit and made Ypsilanti Twp the least desirable place to live or work in the whole midwest. Congrats...keep up the great work.
Justice4all
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 7:31 p.m.
@Mick52, I'd much rather "we the people" (the electorate) select our law enforcement chief in stead of leaving it up to a city administrator or having the chief appointed. I don't know about you but I like the idea of democracy. And one more thing, having an elected Sheriff is in our State Constitution another foundational piece to this great country and state.
dotdash
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 4:10 p.m.
As I understand it, the county already gives Ypsilanti township a break on the actual cost of the patrols and the 2% increase contracted every year is much below the actual increase in costs (salary, benefits, etc which go up more than 2% a year). Ypsilanti township should probably not be complaining too much; the county has talked about stopping the program because it costs the county more to provide the services than they get from the township. http://annarborchronicle.com/2010/03/03/townships-lose-again-in-deputy-patrol-case/
beaumont_slave
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 3:42 p.m.
Do we not pay taxes to the county for police protection?.. they are county deputies.. why do we get charged 2 times for the same deputies. and all the add ons are a bunch of crap!!.
Mick52
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 2:12 p.m.
It seems odd that there is an additional tax for police protection. I think an audit of the sheriff's department should be conducted. The per deputy charge seems quite high. Also, Michigan should end the practice of voting for sheriffs. In any municipality, a police chief is appointed by the governing board and should not be left up to an electorate. That would eliminate the bickering and lawsuits and resolve who works for who. If you think it is a good idea, then why don't we elect all police chiefs? We elect sheriffs based on English history that was carried on in the US. It makes no sense.
Monica R-W
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 10:28 a.m.
What was the total vote? Can you update this story with that information?
michaywe
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 9:49 a.m.
Nice to hear voters appreciate the need for police! Can we now have a twp. run police dept.?
Tom Perkins
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 9:16 a.m.
Mark, From the article: "Officials have underscored the vote in no way impacts recent talks with the City of Ypsilanti on forming a joint police authority."
Mark
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 6:45 a.m.
Well, I guess this does not bode well for a regional police authority.
mb20fan
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 4:53 a.m.
As if we has a choice in the matter,It`s vote yes or vote no if we say no.Go a head call 911 see how long it takes to get a officer to your door.It already takes a good hr to hr and a half.Not that this vote will make it any faster we can only hope.I do think working with the Ypsi City Police would be a better choice.It would cost less and we would get faster service most likely.
reddog801
Wed, Nov 3, 2010 : 3:23 a.m.
Stumbo said that the residents had all the information to make a good solid decision. No sorry Stumbo but you are wrong and I called you out on this in an email. Your board did not tell the residents the truth and you know what, I hate liars. This nonsense of 168,000 + per deputy is absolutely crazy. You better watch your job Stumbo you and your freinds there on the board, because the next election you guys are gone. We need to do the same thing that we just done to America, clean house. I am sick and tired of you guys lying to the residents. Sick and tired of it.....not to worry, you will be seeing and hearing from me much more in the future.
ypsi
Tue, Nov 2, 2010 : 11:35 p.m.
Its a crime for the Washtenaw County Sheriff Department to charge 190,000.00 per sheriff.Ypsi Township needs to reexamine it contract.94% increase in 6 years.Really now!