Commission seats and Streets improvements
The November 5th local election is less than two weeks away. Voters will be filling two city commission seats as well as voting on the proposed City street improvement millage.
Seven of ten city residents surveyed indicated City street repairs should be our top priority. The City Commission determined a limited four year, four mill dedicated street millage is the best approach to funding a street improvement and repair program. Several years ago an income tax was considered as a source for street funding, but was rejected by the City Commission because it was seen as likely impeding commercial development and job creation.
Anyone familiar with the City’s annual budget knows the funding for streets is grossly inadequate. The Act 51 money we receive from the state through the gasoline tax does not even cover basic maintenance, snow plowing and the salting of our streets in the winter. The last several years we have had to add general fund monies to our street fund budget to provide essential street services and complete very limited street projects.
The notion that the City has sufficient street funds to repair poor streets, or is somehow diverting street money to non-street projects, is plainly wrong and based on misinformation. A review of the annual financial audit shows the integrity with which our budget is managed.
If no funding source is secured to repair our streets they will only continue to deteriorate, costing residents even more tax dollars “down the road”. While no one wants to pay additional taxes, maintaining City infrastructure is an essential function of government. The City simply cannot repair its streets unless sufficient funding is obtained.