Dear Editor,
Being that this is the last opportunity to inform voters, I would like to offer your readers some facts they may not be aware of regarding the Independence Township tax hike proposal before them on Nov. 4.
Fact: the proposal will raise your taxes to buy conservation easements.
Fact: conservation easements will not support active recreation.
Fact: only land that is purchased by the township can be used by the public.
Fact: conservation easement agreements paid for with your tax dollars, will not make private land public.
Fact: ownership of conservation easement properties bought with your tax dollars is retained by the landowner.
Fact: this tax hike proposal involves real estate purchases and, historically, all township real estate purchases have been held in ‘closed session? without public input.
Fact: conservation easement purchases could be held in ‘closed session? without your input.
Example: the recent ‘real estate? purchase of the building for a new township hall with your tax dollars was done in ‘closed session,? without the public’s input.
Fact: conservation easements bought with your tax dollars removes the land from the township tax rolls forever.
Fact: besides raising your taxes, this tax hike proposal will also cause a loss of property tax revenue. Increasing the possibility of even higher property taxes in the future.
Fact: conservation easements can be done without raising your taxes.
Fact: conservation easements and land donations are already being done without raising your taxes.
Fact: conservation easements already offer property owners the incentive of property tax breaks in lieu of their land donations. Without raising your taxes or allowing for new developement.
Fact: this is an unnecessary tax hike!!! Vote no
Michael powell
Independence twp.

Dear Editor,
Why do I believe we should vote yes for water protection and open space?
Because we need to protect our groundwater and surface water to insure water quality and quantity. We all depend on wells for our water and more run-off and contamination will threaten them.
Because setting aside some natural areas and open space will reduce congestion, pollution, and more strip malls. Aren’t we crowded enough?
The infrastructure costs to our township of new residential development will exceed tax revenue it generates. Refer to ‘Economic Benefits of Land Conservation? report available at our Township Library.
Conservation easements will guarantee any land purchased will stay undeveloped forever and open to all of the public.
The millage is endorsed by the township supervisor and treasurer.
We can expect to buy land at bargain prices for the next year or so.
The time is now! If we don’t do it now, it may very well be too late.
So let’s save some of the best of the rest for our kids and grandkids.
Jim Reed
Independence Township

Dear Editor,
Road funding has been extremely limited for many years. Fortunately, there has been one bright spot and it has been Congressman Knollenberg. He has always been able to bring home extra federal funding for much needed road projects in Oakland County.
There are a number of critical road improvements and related projects that the road commission had identified as needed but for which no funding was available. They would not have taken place in Oakland County had it not been for Congressman Knollenberg. Over the years, the congressman has brought back tens of millions of dollars in federal road funding that would have gone to other parts of the state or country.
Example funded projects include:
Nearly $1.3 million to widen 12 Mile Road in 2005 in front of Harrison High School to prevent future accidents like the one that killed a student several years earlier.
Nearly $5.2 million to widen Walton Blvd. In Auburn Hills, including replacing the bridge over I-75, currently underway, eliminating the last two-lane bottleneck on Walton between Rochester Road and Dixie Highway.
Millions of dollars more to expand Oakland’s advanced, ‘adaptive? traffic signal system to more traffic more efficiently and safely in more areas of the county.
$250,000 for the Traffic Improvement Association to develop advanced crash data analysis software for the Road Commission, Oakland’s cities and other road agencies in the state, so they can better select safety improvement projects.
Joe has even helped reduce and even eliminate Oakland’s federal funding donor status in some years. Historically, Oakland County has not gotten back as much federal road funding as we sent to Washington D.C. The extra funding through Joe helped address this.
One of the reasons Joe has been able to help Oakland County in this way is that he has been in Congress long enough to have enough seniority to allow him to be appointed to the right committees. There is no way a junior legislator could accomplish this.
So, if we want to continue to receive vital federal road funding for much needed road projects, we need to re-elect Congressman Joe Knollenberg.
Larry P. Crake
Chairman, Board of Road Commissioners, Road Commission for Oakland County
Waterford Township