DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Delta Township Board of Trustees voted Monday night to move forward with implementing a public safety special assessment that will apply to most properties in the township after county millage failures put police services at risk.
- The special assessment will tax 1.5 mills of property value, costing the median Delta Township homeowner an additional $161 on their 2025 winter tax bill.
- Township officials need the assessment to help cover the $8 million police contract with the county, which doubled in cost.
- The assessment will generate about $2.7 million, leaving the township with a $1 million shortfall to address in their budget process.
The special assessment comes after the failure of two county millages put police services in Delta Township at risk of being cut.
WATCH: Delta Township implements special assessment for police services
Through re-negotiation with the county, the township avoided service cuts but will now pay double their previous amount, costing $8 million in the next fiscal year. Township officials are looking to cover most of the increased cost through the special assessment, which some residents expressed frustration about during the meeting.
"You can keep taxing me and taxing me but after a while I'll move out," one resident said.
For the median home in Delta Township valued at $107,000, the 1.5 mill assessment would add $161 to the 2025 winter tax bill.
"The special assessment itself won't make up for the total shortfall," another resident said.
I spoke with Township Supervisor Fonda Brewer, who explained that timing and previous election results led to this decision.
"We heard from our residents during our November election and during our May election where Delta Township voters said yes both times," Brewer said.
The assessment will generate approximately $2.7 million, which is $1 million short of what's needed to pay for the police contract. Brewer explained they'll address this gap during budget planning.
"We'll look at where we need to go and what are some programmings that we may not do for the next year or so," Brewer said.
This marks the second special assessment some homeowners will see on their winter tax bill. In April, nearly 2,000 property owners received assessments upwards of $20,000 for improved drains.
Jennifer Buda, one of those affected residents, said she is "frustrated that they are forcing residents to account for more than one special assessment at a time."
When asked about this frustration, Brewer responded: "We had no control over it because it was not our project, not our assessment, but the timing of that and the millages not passing it just all happened at the same time and it required us to make some decisions moving forward."
Residents will have an opportunity to voice objections or questions at the August 4 hearing.
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