Oxford Township officials last week approved the budgets and property tax rates for the 2004 fiscal year.
For the 10th consecutive year, the township will levy 0.95-mill to support its General Fund Operating Budget, which was approved at $1,868,751 for next year. (See shaded box far right for a breakdown of the General Fund.)
The operating millage is paid by all township property owners, including those in the village.
One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, which is generally equal to half its market value.
A $1,873,206 budget was approved to support the township’s police services contract with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department.
Unincorporated township property owners – those living outside the village – will be assessed 2.9983 mills on their winter tax bills for police services.
According to Oxford Substation Commander Sheriff’s Lt. Al Whitefield, next year’s budget includes the addition of a road patrol deputy to the midnight shift beginning Jan. 1, 2004, which means each of the three shifts (days, afternoons and midnights) will be covered by four officers.
The township’s fire budget was approved at $706,269 to be supported by a 1.3202-mill levy on unincorporated township property owners only.
A $1,021,400 budget to be supported by a 0.8769-mill levy was approved for the township’s parks and recreation department.
The Oxford Public Library’s 2004 budget was approved at $1,062,755 with a supporting tax rate of 1.4360 mills.
Also approved by the township board were the eight individual fund budgets, which consist of monies set aside for specific purposes. Those included:
n Road Fund – $53,671
n Police Fund (for on-going financial obligations associated with the now-defunct joint department such as retirement and medical benefits) – $50,025
n Cemetery Maintenace Fund – $50,522
n Police Narcotics Fund – $844
n Building Permit Fund – $337,250
n Building and Site Fund – $875,837
n Safety Path Fund – $61,903
n Telecommunications Fund Budget – $4,053
Two bond debt millage rates were also approved by the township board.
To finance the library bond debt, a rate of 0.49 mills was approved.
The influx of new taxpayers to the growing township has allowed the bond’s millage rate to decrease steadily since 1996, when it was first levied at 0.84 mill.
A tax rate of 1.11 mills was approved to finance the fire bond debt.
Again, the township’s growth allowed the fire bond’s millage rate to decrease steadily since it was first levied at 1.36 mill in 2000.
Of the total 9.1814-mill rate approved by officials, 4.8629 mills will be levied against all township properties (including those in the village). The figure includes township, library and parks and recreation operating budgets plus the fire and library bond debts.
The remaining 4.3185 mills are only paid by unincorporated township property owners for police and fire services.
The village government levies its own separate millages for those public safety services.