Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on May 17, 2007

Click here to view bill details.

It seems like this should save money. I know our township assessor makes a boatload of money for working 1 day a week! I'm sure the county could do a better, more consisten job for less money. Tax collection, too. Every township is paying 2 people to sit there and collect taxes. I'm thinking the county could do it with less than 40 people! This idea gets better the longer I think about it.

Township government is the most efficient, responsive form of government. Those that cannot balance a budget, can see nothing but tax increases as a way of doing business want to destroy townships. Why?

I am curious what a boat load of money is? Are there benefits? I would suspect most of the 1280+ Townships in Michigan do not have 2 people collecting property taxes. Where is the proof that there would be any savings to taxpayers or that they will have equal or better services? Studies would be nice before such a drastic measure is considered. Perhaps focusing on balancing their budget woes would be time better served to the people instead of attempting to eliminate their local governments!

It takes a very willing individual to be responsible for township government. These elected persons are not running for the paycheck. They are running because they desire to be part of something larger, they believe that there is a difference to be made, and they have the drive and motivation to serve their friends, family, and neighbors. Each official has various duties and responsibilities ranging from numerous meeting attendances, taxpayer interaction, hearing the voice of constituents, and a multitude of other worthy tasks. Do we really want to push these duties and responsibilities on the County where they will be lost as another mandated shift in policy? I contend that we are missing a few elements in this legislation. I believe that this bill is missing any point in its body. What specifically is this going to help? The cost of administration will continue, the personnel will still be needed, and the job will still need to be accomplished. Therefore, why would anyone want to pass all of this extra responsibility up the government hierarchy? I believe it is widely known that the larger the organizational body the less efficient it becomes. I would encourage anyone that may disagree with that statement to enroll in simple economics course and study the concept of diminishing return. This is defined as: “A yield rate that after a certain point fails to increase proportionately to additional outlays of capital or investments of time and labor.” This simple concept explains why township governments have been so successful in keeping their heads above water in times of crisis. Put in plain English, too many fingers in the pot results in stalemates, inefficiencies, and slow progress.

My assessor makes over $30,000 from each of the 3 large townships she assesses. She is available to residents 1/2 day per week in each place. She gets less in the smaller units she does, but makes @ $130-140,000 per year. That's a boatload.

Your numbers don't add up. $30,000 in three Township's is $90,000, not $130,000.

I said she gets $30,000 for each of the 3 large units she does. She does 3-4 smaller units, too. I'm sure she nets @ $130,000/year. That's a lot more than anyone at the county makes. According to the budget, not even the judges make that much! The assessor isn't even in our township 1 day/week. Usually it's her assistant, who isn't even a level 1 assessor. She's nice, but she's just clerical. She can't answer any questions. I like my township people, but the hall is only open 1/2 days. No one is there all 5 days. It's tough to get an answer to a question. At least when I call the county someone is there to answer the phone.

I just paid $150,000 for my property here in Blair TWP and the assessor valued the property at over $200,000!! When I asked the assessor who made that decision he was proud to say "I did" so how was that being helpful to me?? I wrote the Governor and she will sign HB 4780 as soon as it crosses her desk.

I agree with this comment...how is this service?

As a Michigan resident most of my life, I was transferred to FL for work purposes from 1999-2006.(We are no back)There we had a county form of government and I have to tell you it was the most non-responsive, irrational, inefficient, and costly beauracracy I have ever encountered. Instead of small government such as those in Michigans townships and villages, we had a bloated and expensive monster. Contact with my elected official was as bad as contacting my Federal Representatives. I usually got a form letter back telling me it was "under study" or thanking me for my views. And if I chose to call, I was usually sloffed off to some twenty something doing an internship who since I wasn't a "major contributor" could care less about our problem.. The fact of the matter is, the smaller the form of government, the more responsive it is. Contrast the service you get from Levin or Stabenow with that you get from your local official. Common sense says they have millions of constituents, the township offical only thousands. Who do you think is going to give you the hands-on treatment more? For those of you who have experienced problems with assessors, high taxes, or other government related problems, I implore you not to create an even bigger problem by accepting the premise of better government that this bill proposes. Bigger is not better!

do? what would thomas jefferson do? what would thomas payne do?

This attitude is short sighted. Plzzz see comment number 1. It would be better to have the assessor be accountable for evaluations than to loose our local leaders. I think this is a case of throwing the baby out with the bath water.

I'm a property owner, but not yet a full time resident. That comes at retirement in a few years. My response to the above situation is.. Doesn't the township have e-mail for the different board people? Surely that would be a bonus. Once the county gets hold of something, you never get control back. Lets fix it before we throw it all away!

I agree.