Clarkston area voters will help decide several issues on the Aug. 5 ballot.
Proposal 14-1 asks voters to reduce a state use tax with a local community stabilization share to modernize the tax system and help small businesses grow and create jobs.
It would reduce the state use tax and replace it with a local community stabilization share of the tax for the purpose of modernizing the tax system to help small businesses grow and create jobs in Michigan; require a Local Community Stabilization Authority to provide revenue to local governments dedicated for local purposes, including police safety, fire protection, and ambulance emergency services; increase portion of state use tax dedicated for aid to local school districts; prohibit the authority from increasing taxes; and prohibit total use tax rate from exceeding existing constitutional 6 percent limitation.
An Independence Township Police Services Operating Millage would renew a previously authorized levy of up to 2.95 mills for four years, starting with the December 2014 levy, to provide police services in the township. The proposal would college about $4,036,150.00 in the first year if approved and levied.
Three tenths of one percent would go to the township’s Sashabaw Road Corridor Improvement Authority. This amount would be collected only from properties within the Sashabaw Road Corridor Improvement Authority District.
The Clarkston Independence District Library millage request would levy up to 1.25 mills, $1.25 on each $1,000 of taxable value of proprety in the Clarkston Independence District Library District for eight years, 2014 to 2021. It would be used to provide funds for all District Library purposes authorized by law. Estimated revenue in 2014 would be around $1,757,000. Approximately 0.3% of the revenue collected will be subject to capture by the Sashabaw Road Corridor.
Springfield Township Parks and Recreation is asking voters to renew a .75 mill for 10 years on all taxable property in Springfield Township.
It would be used to providing funds for developing, maintaining, and operating of the parks, preserves, recreational sites, facilities, trails, programs and services managed and/or owned by the township.
The money will also help continue recreation programs, such as baseball leagues and senior programs, as well as camps (Team Reptile Camp) and enrichment classes (Lego and Strength and Tone, for example).
The funds would go towards management, stewardship and maintenance of all of the parks, which is over 647 acres. There will also be a rare prairie fen complex added with this money.
If approved, it would collect about $420,000.
? Andrea Beaudoin