We need to pass the millage in November.

The new millage is NOT an additional cost beyond what “we already voted for” in the past.

The Headlee Amendment was created to protect property owners. It “temporarily” reduced millage rates during years where the property taxes and millages combined would cause property owners to pay taxes “higher” than the inflation rate.

This was a little sketchy because property values going up didn’t mean the cost of things “we voted to fund” were going down. The good news was Headlee allowed the millage rates to return to “what we voted for” after the property taxes and millages dropped back below the level of inflation.

Proposal A changed the game. It said we couldn’t return the millage rates back to “what we voted for.” This meant the LOWEST rates Headlee forced the millages down to became PERMANENT, leaving us without the money to support the things “we voted for.”

We had some good years where property values increased and inflation wasn’t bad, kicking in the Headlee requirements and squeezing our millages. Then property values leveled out, inflation was high, but none of the millages “we voted for” could recover as Headlee intended because of Proposal A. This shortage of funds “we voted for” has gone on for over 10 years.

Now we only have two choices. Either pass the new millage to recover what “we already voted for in the past” or we don’t pass the millage and the Sheriff’s Office takes a HUGE HIT!

I am going to vote to pass the millage. It’s estimated to cost about $5 per month for a $100,000 property.

It’s a worthwhile cost compared to the losses our county faces if it doesn’t pass.

WALTER REID,

Lachine