In Rochester Hills Tuesday, There's a 7th Question on the Ballot

If the 207 miles of local, neighborhood streets in Rochester Hills could talk, they would urge voters to say "yes" to the seventh proposal on voters' ballots Tuesday.

The proposal calls for a re-purposing of one expiring millage (it was used for a drain bond) into a millage to repair and reconstruct local roads.

There would be no tax increase from the millage: the .4855 mills would be moved from the city's drain debt fund to a local street fund. The city's millage would remain 9.7060 mills.

If approved, it would be effective on the December 2013 winter tax bill and be included in the 2014-15 budget. It would be in effect for seven years and would direct more than $1.4 million to local streets.

The ballot question reads like this: 

Shall the City of Rochester Hills re-purpose and replace expired or expiring drain bond millage of 0.4855 mill with a tax levy of up to 0.4855 mill ($0.4855 per $1,000 of taxable value) on the taxable of all property assessed for taxes in the City for 7 years, beginning in FY 2014 and continuing through FY 2020, inclusive, to be used for maintenance, repair, rehabilitation and reconstruction of local roads and streets and to provide a source of matching funds to support special assessment and grant programs for local roads? If approved, this proposal will not raise the overall City tax rate and will provide an estimated $1,408,010 if levied in full in the first year.

This local question is the seventh one on Tuesday's ballot; read about the other six Michigan ballot proposals here.

"The last question on the ballot could affect you the most," states Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett in a brochure about the millage question.

For a complete look at Rochester Hills elections, check out our election guide.