6-21-2021 5:00pm

Pittsfield Township Hosts Public Forum to Discuss Public Safety Millage Proposal

With the current public safety millage set to expire, the Pittsfield Township Board will take another crack at asking voters to approve a tax increase to fund police and fire services.

The township has set a public forum for 6:30-8:30 p.m. June 24 to discuss the latest proposal

Pittsfield Township will seek a five-year, 2.95-mill levy over in the Nov. 2 general election. That's one mill higher than currently levied and one miller less than the proposal rejected by Pittsfield Township voters in May. The May proposal, which was for 10 years, was voted down, 2,835 to 2,385.

The forum takes place at the Pittsfield Township Administration Building, 6201 W. Michigan Ave. Limited in-person attendance is available and the township said it requires the use of masks. Virtual attendance will be via Zoom. Register to attend virtually at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aY2_oRQ0Q9yEQeWlk-BAKA.

The township says the millage is required because the township has grown by nearly 10,000 residents since the 2011 millage was passed and because 60 percent of public safety dollars are from the general fund. The township's website says the higher millage is necessary to maintain the average response time (of five minutes or less while having resources to expand social and racial justice initiatives and work with social workers and others to address opioid and mental health issues.

The township has warned that failure to pass the millage would result in the elimination of six police officer jobs, four firefighter jobs, salary cuts, deferred racial equity initiatives, less training, and the use of aging equipment.