Oxford Township officials last week approved budgets totalling $9,721,774 and property tax rates totalling 10.0213 mills for the upcoming 2006 fiscal year.
For the 12th consecutive year, the township will levy 0.95 mill to support its General Fund Operating Budget, which was approved at $1,731,969. (See the shaded box below for a breakdown of the General Fund.)
The operating millage is paid by all township property owners including those residing in the village.
One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value.
A $2,017,375 budget was approved to support the township’s police services contract with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department.
Because village residents pay a separate tax to support their own police department, only unincorporated township residents will be assessed the 2.9243 mills for the sheriff’s local services.
For the first time ever, the township board approved all of the Oxford Fire Department’s budgets for next year, instead of the Oxford Public Fire and EMS Commission (see related story on page 4).
‘OPFEC’s out of that loop,? said township Treasurer Joe Ferrari. ‘OPFEC does not have a fire budget . . . Basically, OPFEC doesn’t have a function as of 2006.?
‘OPFEC should be winding down,? the treasurer explained.
Township officials approved a $1,160,614 budget for fire operations and an $821,804 budget for Advanced Life Services.
The fire operations budget will be supported by a 1.5-mill levy while ALS will be funded by a 1-mill levy. Both taxes were approved by township and village voters in May and will be paid by all property owners equally.
A $1,294,781 budget to be supported by a 0.8538-mill levy was approved for the township’s Parks and Recreation Department.
The Oxford Public Library’s 2006 budget of $1,186,636 was approved along with a supporting tax levy of 1.3982 mills.
Also adopted by township officials were eight individual budgets, which consist of monies set aside for specific purposes. Those funds include:
n Road Fund ? $33,400
n Police Fund ? (on-going financial obligations asscociated with the former police department such as retirement and medical benefits) ? $35,100
n Cemetery Maintenance Fund ? $47,089
n Police Narcotics Fund ? $4,418
n Building Permit Fund ? $399,781
n Building and Site Fund ? $898,743
n Safety Path Fund ? $59,856
n Telecommunications Fund ? $30,208
Two bond debt millage rates were approved by the township.
To finance the library bond debt, a rate of 0.4350-mill was set. The consistent influx of new taxpayers to the growing township has allowed the bond’s rate to decrease steadily since it was first levied at 0.84 mill in 1996.
A rate of 0.96 mill was approved to finance the fire bond debt. Again, the township’s consistent growth has allowed the millage rate to decrease steadily since 2000 when it was first levied at 1.36 mill.
Of the total 10.0213-mill rate approved by officials, 7.097 mills will be levied against all township properties including the village. That figure includes township, library, parks and recreation, and fire/ALS operating rates, plus the fire and library bond debts.
All of these millages ? with the exception of the township operating ? were approved by township and village voters at one time or another.
The remaining 2.9243 mills for police services will only paid by unincorporated (non-village) township property owners.

Your Winter 2005 tax bill at a glance
General Operating ? 0.95 mill
Police Services* ? 2.9243 mills
Fire/ALS Services ? 2.5 mills
Parks & Rec. ? 0.8538 mill
Library ? 1.3982 mill
Library Bond ? 0.4350 mill
Fire Bond ? 0.96 mill
Total ? 10.0213 mills
* Denotes taxes only paid by
non-village twp. residents

2005 Oxford Township
General Fund
Township Board ? $49,055
Supervisor’s Dept. ? $107,520
Elections ? $66,661
Accounting Services ? $5,000
Assessor ? $137,380
Legal Fees ? $175,000
Clerk’s Dept. ? $133,983
Board of Review ? $4,070
Treasurer’s Dept. ? $136,540
Twp. Building ? $31,489
Veterans Building ? $55,200
Cemetery ? $48,637
Unallocated ? $229,910
Hwy/Rd. Maintenance ? $18,100
Street Lights ? $8,400
Social Services ? $15,170
Planning Commission ? $172,444
Board of Appeals ? $11,100
Contributions (Polly Ann Trail, Police Fund, etc.) ? $50,105
Postage ? $16,500
M.E.S.C. ? $3,050
Medical Insurance ? $100,200
Life Insurance ? $2,100
Insurance Bonds ? $45,750
Pension Plan Employer ? $51,115
Social Security ? $37,490
Engineering Fees ? $20,000
Total ? $1,731,969