The Genesee County Board of Commissioners has voted 7-2 to place a 0.9 countywide millage for Hurley Medical Center on the Aug. 4 ballot. The property tax would provide $10 million a year, costing the owner of a home with $100,000 market value about $90 per year.
At the same time, Goodrich and Atlas Township officials are grappling with an aging library’seeking remedies to care for a 120-year-old building while providing a service to the community. Village and township officials are considering a townshipwide assessment to add funds to keep the local library open. An assessment, a millage, or both are fighting words in so desperate economic times.
The needs are many, the resources are few. Taxpayers are offered only sketchy details of where and how their money would be used. Money that those facing shaky financial futures may need to pay the mortgage, or put food on the table.
If there is no financing for a library building? close it. Or find a more economical building in another way, not excluding volunteers.
If the county hospital is not affordable, change directions’there are three other local hospitals that should at some point come into the equation.
Taxpayers cannot afford to continue to shoulder these heavy burdens on top of their own personal needs.
Are there any taxpayers willing to giving up even more of a stagnant, shrinking, or in many cases, non-existent, paycheck to fund an old building or the wants of a big city hospital?
Many among us are struggling to eat right now or have a decent home’yes, even in Atlas Township.
Send a message to the folks in Flint’seek other funding.
We want a hospital and library’we need a home and food to eat.