There might be a little bit of a fight for the taxpayers in TC.

Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) has decided that recessionary times don't mean anything when the absolute NEED for a gold plated auditorium project is so obvious. A $26,000,000.00 request from the taxpayers of course might not have stood on its own as a luxury, but using it as frosting to top an ongoing building millage.  "Spoon full of sugar" indeed.

I blogged about it recently:

" According to TCAPS, the millage rate necessary to repay these bonds will remain below 4 mills.  Given the current rate of 3.1 mills, where did the other 29% increase come from?  The purpose of these requests must be physical asset based only, and this level of increase must surely be based on some specific need, right?

Of course.  The need for a particular feel good wear around the neck kind of thing that says "look at me!"

Luxury.

Pure and simple.  Want.  Covetousness, lust, or simply overwhelming desire.  Spartan accoutrements be damned, lets go all out and have us a performing Arts Complex renovation of the Central High School Auditorium!"

And today, the local paper had it as a top of the page story:

" "You spend a few thousand dollars to fix the planks, wax the floors and paint the walls," Gillman said. "You don't spend $26 million at a time (when) people are struggling just to make their tax payments.

"People don't like this," Gillman said. "I haven't heard of anyone who is for this tax increase. They bit this one off too big this time. You shouldn't try to eat the elephant all at once. Little bites at a time." "