Pittsfield Township poised to ask residents for increase in public safety millage

The existing 10-year public safety millage will expire in 2012 and, if approved, the new millage will be in effect from 2012 to 2021, Grewal said. The money collected from the tax goes to pay for police and fire and enhanced 911 services, Grewal said.

If the new millage is approved, it would cost the owner of a home with a $200,000 market value and a $100,000 taxable value $195 per year.

Grewal cited declines in revenues as the reason for the tax increase.

Without the millage, the township would have to make cuts to public safety services, Grewal said today, though she could not provide specifics.

The Pittsfield Department of Public Safety has 39 sworn police officers, 24 full-time firefighters, and nine 911 dispatchers, according to a township press release.

"This millage is essential to continuing the progress we are making in setting the gold standard in public service for the people who rely on us when they call for help,” Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety director Matt Harshberger said in the release.

“Pittsfield Township’s public safety — police, fire, and E-911 dispatch — personnel provide one of the best response times — under 6 minutes on average — at one of the lowest per capita costs in Washtenaw County," Grewal said in the release. "In fact, the 1.95 mill rate will continue to be the lowest rate for combined police, fire and E-911 dispatch services in the county.”

Heather Lockwood is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heatherlockwood@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.