- Supporters of the millage believe it will improve public safety by ensuring adequate funding for law enforcement and emergency services.
- Opponents of the millage are concerned about higher taxes and question the county's spending decisions.
- Watch the video above to see how neighbors feel about the upcoming tax vote.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Asking questions to neighbors to find what they’re saying about the upcoming Public Safety Millage
Eaton County is asking for an additional 2 mills of property tax to fund Road Patrol, the Prosecutor's Office, and Animal Control.
I went from Mulliken to Grand Ledge to Delta Township, asking neighbors what their vote is.
And our survey ended in a tie.
But what were the reasons behind these votes?
For that, I continued my tour of the county.
Neighbors who said "yes" vouched for the need for officers on the road and worried about businesses leaving due to a lack of safety.
Business owner Al Salas spoke in support of the millage. He worries about response times to his business.
"If this millage does not pass, then we're going to have fewer sheriffs. But first of all, we're already having problems as small business owners. We have people looting and grabbing stuff." said Salas.
Neighbors who voted "no" were critical of the cost, saying taxes are already too high. Some were also critical of spending decisions by the county.
While on the road, I met Will Simon. He runs a food bank in Mulliken and voted "no" on the tax proposal in November. He’s still deciding on his vote this time around.
“I know that people are struggling. I see it every day. I see it once a week when I’m in that food pantry. I see it when people ask me to meet them up there for emergency meetings. So I think a raise is going to affect people, and they’re going to hurt from it. And it's part of the reason why I would vote no.” said Simon.
Voters will decide on the issue during the May 6 special election.
We know many of our Neighbors have news tips to share, stories to tell and ideas that will make Mid-Michigan an even better place to live. FOX 47 is holding its first Let's Talk event on Saturday, April 12th at the Eaton County Expo in Charlotte. Come visit our booth and share what's on your mind with members of the FOX 47 News Team. We look forward to meeting you on Saturday! Let's Talk!
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
