Washtenaw County board delays decision on agricultural millage
Washtenaw County commissioners delayed voting on a millage Wednesday night that would help promote the county’s agricultural industries and other expanding businesses until after the Nov. 3 election.
Although none of the commissioners are up for reelection this fall, it was clear some are watching their voting records, and perceptions about them, very carefully.
The .04-mill levy to help promote the county's agricultural, industrial and tourism fields passed unanimously at the commissioners' Ways and Means Committee meeting Wednesday evening.
But prior to a final vote at the board's regular meeting about 30 minutes later, the process stalled when Commissioner Mark Ouimet, R-Scio Township, asked that specific items within the millage be considered separately.
Ouimet wanted funding for 4-H activities ($59,000), horticulture programming ($27,000), agricultural innovation ($15,000), and the Food Systems Economic Partnership ($15,000), to be voted on either individually or as a block - separate from four other economic development initiatives based on the county’s east side.
The millage would raise $487,000 for those initiatives, which include Ann Arbor Spark ($200,000) and SPARK East ($100,000).
The request sent several commissioners clamoring for clarification on voting procedures and engaging in side conversations for several minutes.
Commissioner Ronnie Peterson, D-Ypsilanti, then asked to table the measure until the next meeting on Nov. 4. His motion passed 7-4.
Overall, the tax would generate $603,000 in economic development funds and cost taxpayers roughly $4 for every $100,000 of their property’s taxable value.
Ouimet said he has concerns about levying additional taxes when there might be other ways to find money.
“My concern is not with SPARK or with SPARK East,” said Ouimet, a member of SPARK’s executive board. “I just thought the funds we’re talking about are in the range that they could be dealt with in the general fund.” Commissioner Barbara Bergman, D-Ann Arbor, said after the meeting that Ouimet’s decision was based purely on politics and accused him of “wanting his cake and having it too.”
“He’s a west-side guy and doesn’t want the money going east,” she said. “But he also doesn’t want to vote down the agricultural programs that are primarily on the west side.”
Ouimet, whose district covers Cheslea, Dexter and six western townships, said he hasn't ruled out running for the Michigan House of Representatives seat occupied by term-limited Democrat Pam Byrnes next year.
But he said people shouldn't to read too much into the commissioners’ decision to postpone the vote.
“My guess is that people are supportive, but we just have to figure out how we actually want to vote on it,” he said.
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
Jim Kress
Fri, Oct 30, 2009 : 7:55 a.m.
Only the insane vote for an increase in taxes during a depression.
KeepingItReal
Fri, Oct 23, 2009 : 8:38 a.m.
The fact that the commissoners postponed the vote on Act 88 is not to give it any further consideration. Act 88 has already been approved at the Ways and Means Committee and usually, what passes there will eventually pass the board. Many citizens are not aware of this procedure so the fact that there is a delay probably has nothing to do with the commissioners concerns about the additional burden it places on the tax payers. They know that additioanl millage at this time is a very sensitive matter and have decided not to cloud the field at this time with another unnecessary millage. The commissioners are waiting after November 3, 2009 because they feel that voters will be less hostile toward them. However, I still intend to monitor my commissioners' vote on Act 88 and if she votes in favor of it regardless of when, I will remember it come during the next election.
Tom Bower
Thu, Oct 22, 2009 : 8:57 a.m.
The concern here is not about commissioner Ouimet's motives. If they are political, so be it. Afterall, he is a politician and may have his eye on some future position in Lansing. Nothing wrong with that. No, the concern is why is the County considering increasing our taxes again? If anything, the decision to postpone a vote on this tax increase may be related to the coming county-wide general enhancement millage vote which occurs November 3. We are currently in a critical period for this election and voters are beginning to consider the issues.