Dear Editor,
Attention Orion Township Absentee voters, Your YES votes on your Absentee Ballot are greatly needed during the upcoming August 7th election for both the Police Millage Renewal and for the requested 1.0168 Police Millage Increase.
Police protection is a dire necessity. Voting in favor of the much needed renewal and increase will preserve and prevent the township from losing 9 greatly needed deputies currently on staff protecting and regularly surveilling our neighborhoods, schools and businesses.
Since 2009 due to the loss of over $1-million in property values Orion Township has already suffered a reduction of 5 deputies and yet statistics display that a demand for police services from residence, businesses and commuters has grown over 11 percent.
An average homeowner with a $100,000 taxable property value will pay an additional 28 cents per day, $8.40 per month (30 days), or around a $101.00 per year, which brings the approximate total cost on the average household of $11.22 a year for each of the 9 deputies. Otherwise, with the reduction of 9 more deputies the township will be down to only 16 deputies patrolling and servicing a population of over 34,000 on a 24-hour basis.
Orion Township is just a hop, skip and a jump from I-75 and thus easy access to outside criminal elements. I know most of us do not wish to experience any increase in expenses or property taxes during these hard economic times, but a YES vote on both police ballot proposals will maintain the greatly needed police protection currently contracted with the township.
On August 7th please vote YES TWICE on the police millage ballot proposals.
– Mary MacMaster
Orion Township