Tag: Townships

The cost to our communities from special assessments, millages and general apathy to the financial wherewithal of constituents can be appalling.  Cheryl has written up in just a few paragraphs, a story that can be related and well understood in dozens of townships throughout Michigan.  Examples of over-planning, a desire for the best, yet without the ability to pay, and property owners which find themselves on the raw end of someone else' ambition.

This is just one true tale, that as yet has not ended.

WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP BOARD'S "ROAD TO RUIN"
by Cheryl Walton

In January/February 2005, a petition for paving 4 roads (Watson, Mabel, Deal, and Lackey) was circulated to road frontage owners.  A sheet accompanying the petition estimated the total cost of paving to be $1 million, to be split half and half between the Grand Traverse County Road Commission and the property owners, with the annual cost per "benefit" estimated at $200 annually for 10 years.  More than 50% of the road frontage owners signed the petition.

In August 2005, a different petition listing 5 roads (Watson, Mabel, Deal, Lackey, AND SKEGEMOG POINT ROAD south of M-72) was circulated only to Skegemog Point Road frontage owners.  Less than 50% of the frontage owners signed, not meeting the Public Improvement Act requirement that more than 50% of the frontage owners agree to the improvement.  Despite this fact, the southern portion of Skegemog Point Road was added to the list of roads to be paved, adding close to $300,000 to the cost of the project.  The signers of the 4-road petition never agreed to the paving of Skegemog Point Road.

Let that sink in.

Allowing private citizens to make a decision on what garbage service they might purchase.

The chilling advocacy of removing the ability of one to contract for themselves, often becomes the result of a perceived problem.  A perceived problem that has likely been amplified by complaints of noise, traffic, and "those ugly ol garbage trucks driving by more than once a week."  Grown out of proportion by elected officials concerned about the financial means of maintaining roadways as their budgets disintegrate around them. Grown, amplified, and thrust forward eagerly by the "gods of the copybook headings."

A city, and two townships have fallen to this ruse of benefit to the citizenry.   The false promise of saved roads, and less garbage truck traffic blight buying the conservative souls of those who think they are being fiscally responsible negotiating the "best deals" for their constituents.  The false promise and Faustian bargain that takes away the true rights to negotiate for one's own self, and instead, insert a board-knows-best dependency upon the public.