Letter to the Editor: Just the facts
9-10-2020
To The Editor:
Yes, Manchester Village residents are going to be given the opportunity to decide how they will be governed, where their tax dollars should be spent, and what services they expect to receive from local governments. Sadly, the Manchester community is going to hear lots of rumors, incorrect information, and statements made only to create confusion, division, and fear. Following are some facts to assist Manchester Village residents in making informed decisions and hopefully quell some of the wrong information being spread.
*A Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), volunteers consisting of your friends and neighbors in the Village, spent months investigating the pros and cons of becoming a city. They unanimously voted to recommend Manchester Village Council pursue city status. Their full report is available on the Village website.
*The State of Michigan does not recognize a village as a main form of government; it is subservient to the township. Cities are recognized by the State on the same legal footing as townships; villages are not. Only village residents and businesses pay taxes to support two local government entities, the village and the township. Becoming a city provides an opportunity to reduce taxes when residents and businesses support only one local government.
*The needs of a village (high density) and a township (rural) are vastly different. Therefore, dissolving a village to become part of a township has never been done in the State of Michigan.
*Village residents have the same legal liability as township residents for debts incurred by the township. Township residents have no liability for village debts.
*A township board is elected and financially supported jointly by township and village residents. Manchester Township has about 250 more registered voters than Manchester Village. The Manchester Township Board focuses on township needs. Manchester Village residents elect and solely financially support the Village Council that focuses on village needs.
*City residents elect and financially support only a city council to represent only city needs.
*A township office and fire department can be located within a city. They do not have to relocate.
*City residents do not pay township taxes, cannot vote on township issues, or serve on a township board.
*A boundary survey, with existing Manchester Village boundaries, has been completed and approved by the State Boundary Commission (SBC). There is no requirement or request to annex any property. Whether you are a village or a city, the SBC approves annexations. A city has no additional annexing or zoning authority than a village.
*Manchester Village residents and businesses pay almost $100,000 (plus 2 fire millages) in tax dollars to Manchester Township every year. Services residents receive are voting, assessing, and tax collection. As a business/property owner that does not vote, the only service received for township tax dollars paid is assessing and collection of taxes. The remainder of Manchester Village tax dollars paid to Manchester Township support township roads, township operations, the township building, township consultants, township attorneys, township commissions, and township
boards. Elected Village officials have absolutely no control over how Village tax dollars paid to Manchester Township are spent. None of Manchester Village tax dollars paid to Manchester Township support the Village roads, Village services, Village operations, the police, or the parks enjoyed by our whole community.
*Manchester Township residents pay 2.0323 millage. Manchester Village residents pay 14.2089 mills to support the Village and 2.0323 township millage, totaling 16.2312 millage. While Manchester Township residents do not pay any millage to support the Village, Village residents pay the same millage as Township residents to support the Township.
*Becoming a city would have no effect on the operations of the fire department. A city would contract for fire protection just like three townships do. Costs estimates used by the CAC are based on the formula extended to the contracting townships. There should be no difference in how contracting Manchester residents are charged for service.
*Things that are not affected by becoming a city include: schools, library, road maintenance, or cooperative agreements. Manchester Village meets all the requirements for cityhood. No additional infrastructure, land, population, staff, state retirement fund, or city tax is required. We do not have to change how we look or operate.
*Things that are affected by becoming a city include: an opportunity to end the obligation to financially support the township government which allows us to keep our tax dollars here, hire our own tax assessor, and handle our own elections. Village tax dollars would no longer go to the township to perform these services. A city collects and distributes county, school, and library taxes for their residents. A city controls all their millage tax dollars and has no liability exposure for township debts.
Village residents, please take the time to understand where your tax dollars are being spent. From 2014 through 2019 Manchester taxpayers have paid $590,780^ in taxes to Manchester Township (plus two fire millages). Details of tax dollar distribution are available from Village trustees, me or at the Village Hall.
Residents of Bridgewater, Freedom, Sharon, and Manchester Townships are governed by, and pay taxes to, one local unit of government. Village Council has an obligation to provide that same opportunity to Village residents: an opportunity to choose to change our legal status to that of a city and be governed by, and pay taxes to, one local unit of government.
Today the Manchester community is four townships and a village. If we become four townships and a city, we are still Manchester. We will still have the same amazing people, the same beautiful corridors that bring us into our same quaint downtown. This decision can be an opportunity to plan for our future, work together, make it a win/win or it can unnecessarily divide us. Tax dollars should not needlessly be spent on attorneys to fight each other. In the end, it is a decision that Manchester Village voters have the right to make.
Manchester Village Council has added a special agenda item at the beginning of every meeting specifically for updates, questions, and answers on becoming a city. Please, challenge everything you hear. Question both your Village and Township officials. Ask where they get their information-- state law, assumptions, or rumors? Get the facts.
Pat Vailliencourt
^2014-2018 $491,241 from Manchester Township audited financial statements, 2019 $99,539 from 2019/2020 budget.
Views expressed in any Letter to the Editor are always exclusively those of the author. Do you have something you want Manchester to know? Send your Letter to the Editor to themanchestermirror@gmail.com.
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