New Survey on Consolidation

[JFPowers]

Correct Andy, this is just a poll. As in Presidential elections there can be a wide variance from the final vote totals. It will be interesting to see how it compares.

[Andy's Grooming Barn]

Ken apparently you didn't understand from what Richie has been screaming, that you are not suppose to keep reposting the same thing, we know you want to get your point across but for non-homesteaders tax to go down you need to look at the school mills, this consolidation has nothing to do with non homesteaders as the townships DO NOT receive that money.

Again stop trying to cloud the facts of this vote we know you and K.A. Pike have no vote here (heck he doesn't even have property) and that you are just trying to cause trouble but truly this is important to those of us that LIVE here.

[carolburton]

I feel as a Peaine resident that during this consolidation question that some of our township officials and others are not doing the taxpayers justice by looking at it from all taxpayers perspective. This issue is also far greater than those who live here. The duty of those officers is to see that the best interest and wishes of the taxpayers (all of them including visitors that spend their money here) is served. I take serious offense that you feel that their voices are not just as important as yours. They are the people who make it viable for us to live here! LISTEN everyone to what people are saying. What they said in The Master Plan, in surveys, on the streets, the youth of the island, and do something positive with it. They are right there will be hard feelings for awhile and mostly because the work and trend of the Island has not been listened to. You don’t have to be for consolidation but my township board needs to respect their taxpayers! I hope either way this goes that we demand this from those we count on to do the best for us. Carol

[Andy's Grooming Barn]

Carol this is a prime example of you guys twisting stuff around, you got from me saying, "Something that jumps out at me is that out of all of this there was only 103 residents that can vote out of what 600 registered voters on Beaver Island that took this survey, 500 other voters are going to vote (many already have) on Tuesday. Although I understand your logic for the survey it is just a small piece of a big picture and I feel it is not the correct picture but Tuesday it will all become clear." that I don't think we should listen to all tax payers and that that the township doesn't respect the taxpayers............no clue how you came to that conclusion from my post as I didn't address that at all.

[carolburton]

Andy, From the direct post above the one I replied after!!!!! No twisting whatsoever! I will never stop defending those that do not have a vote. NEVER and you shouldn't either. I also feel strongly that my township (against consolidation team) have not given due diligence to all of its taxpayers pro and con. I certainly have a right to that and if you can back up and show me how they have that would be great! My Township Supervisor and wife (you) have taken such a solid stand against this that there is no way to even pretend that there is concern for our (my) opinions. Many had to sign the petition to consider consolidation in the first place and that should be considered. The Master Plan should be considered. The fact that no one from the against consolidation team has asked you to speak for yourself and not insult people is beyond me. When you say things like "this consolidation has nothing to do with non homesteaders" in any context is wrong. It is devastating that your group condones this and I am assuming agrees with you. Things like "you have no vote here" or (heck he doesn't even have property) maybe he wants too! You don't know! You just assume. I also pay both so I do pay those school mills and you are insulting any property owner who owns more than one property!!!!! Which is a large majority of VOTERS! Also we are smart enough to know that the SURVEY is not 100 percent accurate (guess you can't deduct that without spewing it out) but the people who took it care and their opinion matters to me and it should matter to everyone! Andy you somehow have forgotten that this will all be over and that we will all have to go back to whatever or go forward but your words won't be soon forgotten! Especially by those that you keep insulting and treating with little to no respect! Your opinion is one thing but the route you have taken is certainly less than professional. You could have just stayed quiet but you had to keep poking the bear! I apologize to anyone this may have offended. Carol

[Wkohls]

Carol . . .

I am bothered by the general tenor of your post.

My principal concern has been (and continues to be) that it is in our mutual interest to have fully-informed voters cast ballots on Tuesday. The proponents, in my opinion, have not provided sufficient information and many of the claims posted on the forum have not been supported by factual information.

It seems to me that reasonable people seeking an Island-wide discussion would have engaged in a civil exchange, but I have been subjected to a great deal of criticism and innuendo. It often appears that these posts are little more than an attempt to provoke a response. Unfortunately, this “noise” only makes it more difficult for readers to form any relevant opinions. (My thanks to Cindy Risksgers for her classy comments in an earlier post!)

Without commenting on everything in this thread, it appears that Andy’s comments were taken out of context. Non-resident property owners have a vested interest in the consolidation issue, but Andy refers to the non-homestead tax payers in a narrow context. That is, she is referring to taxpayers that do not qualify for the principal residence exemption (previously know as the homestead tax exemption.)

The principal residence exemption relates entirely to public school financing and, accordingly, consolidation would not impact the differential in the aggregate tax rates paid by so-called “homesteaders” and “non-homesteaders.”

Comments, such as, “This is validation that the non-homestead taxpayers have felt taken advantage of and have bore the burden for too long.,” demonstrate a great deal of confusion with respect to a) the reliability and validity of the “survey” and b) State law as it relates to the principal residence exemption and public-school financing.

[carolburton]

Bill,

I appreciate the professional reply that you have just given. That is more what I expect from you (as I know you to be) and our representatives on both sides to have a thought out response. However, my feelings represent the forum and what I feel has been coming from the Save Peaine and others that try to represent all of the taxpayers in Peaine which they do not! Nothing more to my comments. As you know, as a professional businessman, the way you word things is very important and subject to interpretation. This is not an easy matter nor would it be easy any way it happened. We can only hope that no matter what happens that we strengthen our goals, our learning, and we together as a community grow.

Andy many times has been possibly taken out of context because the wording and anger toward people is stronger than the point she is trying to make. I pay both sides and thus was not so happy with the context of her post. I also support everyone. This Island cannot survive without all of us! I find that the most important issue in the consolidation matter. Saying things like she has reflects upon the group and our island. We do not attack people and we do value them. Please come to Beaver Island! Enough said.

As for your last comment: "Comments, such as, “This is validation that the non-homestead taxpayers have felt taken advantage of and have bore the burden for too long.”.... Had the rebuttal to that comment been put in such a manner as you just put it I would have said you were right. That we cannot determine the survey to be absolute validation of those feelings.

Carol