Primary vote to decide fire millage

With election season for president every four year comes not only voting for township leaders, but millages as well.

Independence Township Fire Chief Steve Ronk asks voters to renew the township’s Fire and Emergency Services Millage, collecting $5.4 million each year.
‘It is our complete operational budget,? said Ronk. ‘There is no other funding for the fire department other than this millage, it’s all or nothing.?
According to Ronk, the fire department has never had trouble with support from the community in the past, even in rough economic times.
He hopes the community will ‘realize the importance of it (the millage) and pass it with overwhelming support,? he said.
‘The language may read crazy like all those millages do,? he said.
‘The renewal is as much as possible, then the Township Board always rolls back to what we’re levying now, so there are no plans to increase dollars collected.?
‘Shall the Charter Township of Independence be authorized to continue the previously authorized levies up to 3.1688 mills for a period of four years, starting with the December 2008 levy, to provide fire protection and emergency services, including advanced life support, in the township? This proposed millage is a renewal of previously authorized millage to be disbursed to the township for these purposes. Approval of this proposal would renew a tax limitation increase of $3.17 per $1,000 of taxable value on all taxable property in the Township. It is estimated that this proposal would result in the authorization to collect $5,411,000 in the first year if approved and levied.”