Beaver Island Michigan

Hey, Rich . . . Thanks for your post. Please explain why consolidation is best for the Island? I have heard the repeated claims, but no one has provided any factual support for those claims. Your budget arbitrarily slashes tax revenues for EMS while increasing spending. Please explain how and why th...

Hey, Beaverman . . . In 25 words or less, explain why consolidation will result in higher property valuations. When you're done, you can draft a comprehensive consolidation plan that is supported with rigorous analysis. Pease be sure to sign your name. Note . . . all else being equal, an increase in...

Thanks for your post. I have no need to apologize. The mission of the Committee to Save Peaine is to provide relevant information that will enable voters to make an informed decision when they go to the polls and we have lived up to that standard. To the contrary, the petitioners and proponents shou...

Angel . . . I understand that you have accused me of calling you a liar and, further, that your accusation stems from the WVBI interview when I referred to the budget posted on the Forum as “intellectually dishonest.” In view of the contentious nature of the consolidation issue, I believe that it is...

"Half truths and cooked numbers . . . ?" I will be pleased to review and defend the "numbers" in a public forum any time between now and May 8th. Can I be assured that a proponent of consolidation will join me at that forum to review and defend your "numbers?"

Hey, Jeff . . . Thanks for your post. Unable to make a coherent case for consolidation, unable to support their claims with a rational argument and unwilling to respond to questions . . . this appears to be a somewhat desperate and pathetic attempt to turn the tables. Note that it was Paul Welke who...

Joe . . . My math follows for your consideration. The table illustrates that nearly 80% ($28 divided by $124) of the increased tax burden in St. James Township relates to levies for the general fund and roads. My point is that many Peaine residents see the proposed consolidation as a raid on their b...

Some Peaine residents have expressed their concern that property taxes may continue to increase (beyond the 9%) and note that the ballot proposal provides for a nearly 22% increase in their tax levies. Inspite of the claims that it's good for the Island, they don't know what they would get in return...

Joe . . . Thanks for your post. As of the most recent year, the millage levied by St. James township was about 7% more for shared services. That equates to about $28 a year for a home with a taxable value of $50,000. I know this will not be a satisfactory answer, but the reason is simply . . . that'...

"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less." "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things.". With respect to the master plan . ...

My apologies . . . the table that I previously posted contains an error . . . Peaine Township will transfer $100,000 from its general fund to its road fund to pay for an anticipated stockpile of 10,000 tons of gravel. This amount was inadvertently included as revenue. The revised table below indicat...

Responding to a series of posts on the :other" thread . . . I hope this will be helpful. The following table adjusts amounts provide by Carol by the cash balances inappropriately included in the current year revenues. Note: The source is the proponents' budget and I have not independently verif...

I hope this will be helpful. The following table adjusts amounts provide by Carol by the cash balances inappropriately included in the current year revenues. Note: The source is the proponents' budget and I have not independently verified the amounts. The table indicates that revenues were overstate...

Responding to Carol's post on the "other" thread . . . Hey, Carol . . . The amounts that you show as revenue includes the cash balance carried over from the prior year. As a result, revenues are WAY OVERSTATED! As I wrote earlier, tax revenues are collected in the fourth quarter of each fi...

Hey, Carol . . . The amounts that you show as revenue includes the cash balance carried over from the prior year. As a result, revenues are WAY OVERSTATED! As I wrote earlier, tax revenues are collected in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year. Cash balances will be at their highest point at March ...