GH Twp. to have fire/rescue millage renewal on August ballot

Township voters approved a new transportation millage during last week's election, and will be asked to renew a different one in August. The Township Board on Monday unanimously approved ballot language that will ask residents to renew a three-year fire/rescue millage on Aug. 2. The renewal is for 1.5 mills. Township officials said they are still able to call the ballot question a renewal, despite it being a slight increase to taxpayers due to the Headlee Amendment.

Kyle Moroney

May 10, 2011

“Over the past five years, because of the Headlee Constitutional Amendment, it has rolled back incrementally — a total of 0.0066 mill, which is about two-thirds of a penny,” Township Manager Bill Cargo said of the fire/rescue millage. “That means, for every $1,000 of assessed value that somebody has, their fire/rescue millage bill will increase by one penny.”

If renewed in the August election, a home with a taxable value of $100,000 would have an increase of about 66 cents, according to Cargo.

The millage is expected to raise $882,960 in the first year for the Fire/Rescue Department’s operational budget, Cargo said. However, because assessed home values in the township vary from year to year — affecting the taxable values — township officials cannot predict the millage’s funds in the latter two years.