March 24th Budget meeting, 2022




March 24th budget meeting 2022

 This meeting was a special meeting to OK the budget proposed for the new fiscal year starting April 1st 2022 up to March 20 2023, while reviewing the budget for last year's budget. Not a whole lot to go over, but I think some of these things have been pretty hot button issues so it's worth going over them to let everybody know what's what.

One of the first topics was raising the township's operating millage, the current rate which is at 0.8432. Based on this rate, the millage generates an estimated $344,750 for the township. For an Emmett homeowner in an average household (100k valuation) you're paying roughly 56.01 in taxes per year.

With costs rising everywhere, and the millage not having been altered since 1973, the township is looking to raise the millage to a flat 1.0000 which would generate an estimated $408,860 for the township, which is an increase of $64,110. For the average home (again at a 100k valuation), this would equate to an estimated 66.43 taxable yearly value, or an increase of $10.42.

The increase from the current .8432 to 1.0 is .1568

There were also discussions to raise the millage to 1.25, or 1.5 which would respectively net the township $511,075 (+$166,325 from the current) or $613,289 (+268,539 from the current). For the average homeowner this would increase taxes paid by roughly $27.02 or $43.63, but these options would be put up for a vote later this year during election time.

These increases from .8432 to 1.25 or 1.5 are .4068, and .6568 respectively.

None of this money is used for paying salaries of township workers, nobody is getting raises or bonuses and 100% of this money goes towards managing the township and improving the resources that we all currently enjoy.

The second topic was amendments to the marijuana ordinance... (though I don't remember what was discussed here... 8 grow places, no new outdoor ones, etc)

Third and final topic was discussion about a new audit service being hired by the township, of which three were interviewed. Maner Costerian,  Seber Tans, and Plante Moran... Maner being the preferred auditors after being interviewed by Deb and her team.

There has also been some discussion regarding the casino and the money which comes from them. There seems to be a lot of residents(?) who think this money goes to the boards' pockets, but this is not the case at all. In order to clear up any confusion I've tried to figure out what *does* happen w these funds and so far this is what I've gotten:

-Pilt(payment in lieu of taxes) money comes from 2% of slots money, they give state their money right off the top which then trickles down with the Harper Creek schools getting the most and the county gets their cut too.
-Then it goes over to townships Emmett police, which get the big cut, the administrative side gets a little. They pay approx 200k a year on our road bond which makes residents part way less.On the admin side after all that gets a really small amount, I wasn't able to get that number but it should be under 100k
-City of Battle creek and Athens get a cut too. And if there are any bills like repairing water or sewer thst is caused by casino they pay that and that comes off the top too.



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