It might not sound like that much in comparison to Orion Township’s general fund, but treasurer James Marleau said citizens will be feeling the pinch of a missing $30,000 if a state parks proposal is adopted.
The proposal, which recently had its first subcommittee hearing in Lansing, would reduce or eliminate payments made by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to local governments for years. The money covers state parklands, which in Orion Township means Bald Mountain State Recreation Area.
According to Marleau, Orion Township has been receiving a little over $32,000 a year from the DNR; if the proposal is passed, that would drop to just nearly $3,000.
“There’s that number of acres (of state park land), and it’s $1 per acre,” said Marleau. “There’s a significant loss there.”
Marleau and Orion Township Assessor John Attwell attended a hearing on the proposal in Lansing on April 24.
If approved, the proposal would cut the DNR’s budget, helping to balance the state’s budget.
“We’re already trying to adjust to state cuts,” said Marleau. “This is getting to be serious. No one is discussing this (proposal) for the short term…this will be forever.”
Marleau said the DNR’s payment currently goes towards budgets for the Orion Township Library, police and fire funds, safety paths and the general fund. He said reduced payments would also adversely affect state education, including Lake Orion Schools, the Oakland County Intermediate School District (ISD) and Oakland Community College, among others.
“It’s called PILT…payments in lieu of taxes or swamp tax payments,” said Marleau of the DNR’s payments. “They’re trying to convert the PILT.
“(The State of Michigan) estimated the taxable value of Bald Mountain for 2003 at $5,73,355,” continued Marleau. “That’s so far underestimated it’s a joke. That would be almost $200 million in the private sector.
“They’re already getting such a break, it’s a joke.”
Marleau said the state is already paying an Orion Township tax of $11 an acre, which if Bald Mountain was a private individual’s piece of property at the lowest rate, the tax would be $600 an acre.
“It’s a gift from the municipalities all over the state,” he said. “This is not a level playing field. Library, police, fire…they would all be affected because of this red ink on the table…We’ll feel like a pin cushion here in the township.”