Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees Unanimously Adopts Millage Proposal

Release Date:  November 24, 2009

At its regular meeting on November 23, 2009, the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to ask voters to approve an operating millage proposal of 1.3 mills that would generate $4.4 million in its first year. The new millage would allow the Township to continue to provide the same level of public services, including police, fire and EMS protection, that it provides now. The vote will take place on Tuesday, February 23, 2010.

"All of the dollars generated by the millage proposal will stay in the Township. If passed, the millage will restore a portion of the revenue that has been lost because of declining property values. If it does not pass, we will have to eliminate more than 20% of our police, fire and EMS personnel. Inevitably, that will mean a slower response time for crimes, fires, and emergency medical service (EMS). A slowdown in response time could mean the difference between life and death," Bloomfield Township Supervisor Dave Payne said.

Statistics show that crime has increased dramatically in some of the municipalities that border Bloomfield Township. To a great extent, this is due to cuts in the police departments of those communities. Bloomfield Township has traditionally been known to respond quickly to crime scenes and investigate crimes thoroughly, thereby resolving most incidents and preventing an incalculable number of potential crimes. A strong police presence is necessary to assure Bloomfield Township continues to be as safe as it has always been.

Furthermore, as Bloomfield Township’s population ages, the demand for EMS services has increased dramatically. The Township sets exceptionally high standards in recruiting and training its fire and EMS personnel in order to provide the best response in medical emergencies and injury-related traffic accidents as well as fire runs.

"The number of police, fire and EMS incidents has grown by more than 20% over the past twenty years while our public safety workforce has been reduced by more than 10% over the same length of time. We cannot eliminate any more employees and continue to provide the same level of police, fire and EMS protection," Payne said.

Bloomfield Township has made significant cuts to its budget over the past several years in anticipation of falling home values and cuts in State revenue sharing.

"Despite reductions in State revenue sharing and drastically falling property tax revenue, we have been able to balance our annual budget each year because of sound fiscal management and major cuts in spending," Bloomfield Township Treasurer Dan Devine said. "Bloomfield Township is one of the few municipalities that has made major changes in health insurance coverage and retirement plans. These actions have resulted in yearly savings of almost $1 million."

Bloomfield Township Clerk Jan Roncelli said, "Unfortunately, we have now reached the point where the next major cut has to include the number of employees."

"The bottom line is that 100% of this money will stay in Bloomfield Township. It will allow us to continue the same level of police, fire and EMS protection as well as other essential public services such as snow plowing. We hope our residents will support this 1.3 mills for operational expenses so we can continue to protect them and provide the same level of service they depend upon," Dave Payne concluded.

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Charter Township of Bloomfield
4200 Telegraph Road
P.O. Box 489
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0489
248.433.7700
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