AGAINST A CONSOLIDATED BEAVER ISLAND TOWNSHIP

[islandliving]

Thank you Bill, for the factual information! Keep it coming!

[Andy's Grooming Barn]

https://wkohls.wixsite.com/consolidatio ... -of-michig

This will link you to a very good article about why the community choose not to consolidate. Although in their case they took the time and had professionals went over everything so the tax payers had accurate numbers to go off from, everything was up front so the voters knew exactly what they were voting on. I wished we had that same opportunity.

[Wkohls]

Writing on the other thread, Bob Tidmore shares what appears to be a pretty thorough analysis of the impact of consolidation on property taxes. The only problem is that his analysis in based on the proposed budget posted to this Forum on April 15th.

That budget promises lower property taxes, but the decrease is entirely attributable to an unrealistic decline in funding for emergency medical services.

Please consider that EMS is already consolidated as part of the Emergency Services Authority and the proposed township consolidation will not result in any savings.

Also consider that you don’t have to consolidate townships in order to slash funding for any of the consolidated services.

Don’t drink the Kool-Aid . . . the proposed budget for a consolidated Beaver Island Township is fatally flawed and, by extension, any conclusions based on that budget are unreliable.

PEAINE PROPERTY OWNERS CAN EXPECT AN 8.4% INCREASE IN THEIR TOWNSHIP TAX OBLIGATIONS.

[K.D. McBride]

Oops! Sorry, posted on the wrong thread.

[Wkohls]

You may want to re-read that post.

The most substantive difference between Bob's analysis and the analysis that Jack Gallagher and I posted to our website https://wkohls.wixsite.com/consolidationinfo is the data. Jack and I based on analysis on verifiable data; Bob based his analysis on an unreliable “budget” and reaches an invalid conclusion.

As the saying goes, “Garbage in, garbage out!”

[K.D. McBride]

Sorry! Wrong thread.

[Andy's Grooming Barn]

https://wkohls.wixsite.com/consolidatio ... ick-burris

This is a really good read. Amy was nice enough to share it with us. In the 1980 the boards/people looked at if combining townships was a good idea but they did it the correct way they got together and had community meetings and discussions prior to putting it on the ballot. These were some of the reasons they decided not to do it and many if not most of those things still stand today. Dick along with many of those others were right then as they still are right today.

Thanks Amy for sharing this part of history and helping bring this to light.

[Richards]

The Republican Party states - “Government should be smaller, smarter, and more efficient.”

Does this resonate with you? What does this mean for Beaver Island?

Sheri Richards

[meadefamily]

Sheri Richards post on against consolidation page:

by Richards » Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:36 pm

The Republican Party states - “Government should be smaller, smarter, and more efficient.”

Does this resonate with you? What does this mean for Beaver Island?

Sheri Richards

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sheri,

Those are great questions! I had to chuckle with this one. The only thing more divided than the forum is the politics in our Country.

I would agree with this statement 100%. We have to be SMARTER to get smaller and more efficient. The way this consolidation came about is not being smarter. I am not disagreeing that it needs to be considered, but it needs time to look at facts, have disinterested third party evaluate it and not have only a few be involved. Dick Burris letter above is spot on.

Great post Sheri and really gives food for thought on how.we need to be smarter!! Perfect!

[JFPowers]

I found Dick Burris' letter interesting however that was a different time. Here is another piece of history to consider when you realize that was really a whole different set of circumstances. In other words all references to a different time and applying that logic, well, that was a different time.....

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news ... d526742552

"Some of the nuns taught into the 90's, the schools achievement test scores of the students were among the highest in the state, while the costs were among the lowest....."

while you all debate small differences in the portion of the overall tax burden as it affects the governmental costs, why don't you consider the OVERALL tax burden and consider strategies or mechanisms to address that. The OVERALL burden is what is a hindrance to new residents or part time residents investing in the island...

[Andy's Grooming Barn]

Now that is interesting, maybe the school needs to look back into the Nuns being involved. I agree with you that there is a huge tax burden and guessing a lot of which you are talking about is the homestead, which is not something the consolidation would not effect but agree this needs to be looked at and see what can be done to lower it. I am not completely sure how this is to be address but I know Ron had mentioned at some point having a community meeting and discussing some of these issues and I think that would be a really good start.

I also agree that was a different time but truly not a lot has changed in there reasoning if you go back through there list I was surprised how much still can be applied today. As in looking back at the Nuns, sometimes taking a few steps back help to make so you can move forward.

[duffer]

cue the ballons pass out popcorn play enter the clowns as background music. I hope how ever this turns out and we can get along,,,,,

[Gillespie]

Bill, there isn't a soul who doesn't know your end game! Or your wife's! Give it it a rest! You are messing with history here, your name will be on it and then we all will be gone! Grow up and realize this is about coming generations, not us, if you can! Dick Burris was being played, admitted that to me countless times, now it's you! Same players too!

[Andy's Grooming Barn]

Talking about growing up Richie, you remove any post off the pro's that we put on but continue to leave the post of your buddies on the con's side. This is why the petitioners if they wanted to do this the correct way should have had meetings, been transparent not used the forum for their campaigning. Of course by using this forum they then can have Richie remove anything they don't want to be seen and they can verbally abuse us, very sad, instead they could have gotten facts and information out then decided if this should have been on the ballot.
obviously modorating isn't your strong suit.

[carolburton]

On point #3 of the document that was posted I have some questions. I have asked this several times and maybe it can be cleared up now. What has Peaine Township accomplished since 1980 when this document was written that is for the betterment of their taxpayers? The reasoning of the non-consolidation in the past supported that Peaine would grow and develop both in people and business, possibly enough to support a shopping district and dock at the South End of the island. Also why was Peaine concerned about dealing with the Liquor Board? I would like to see a list of the Peaine Township accomplishments that have forwarded us toward those goals. This is not meant to be negative I would just like the question answered.