At the Aug. 9 special meeting of the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees, John Delaney said the last time the board asked for 6.5 mills, “It went down in flames.”
He said the board is making another mistake by going for 6.5 mills without going to the public for discussion and input. He said the voters will turn it down and that may jeopardize public safety. He said the new supervisor and new board members will have to scramble to fix the problem.
Delaney was one of three residents speaking against the 6.5 millage proposal at the meeting. Diane Madigan, former chairperson of the Public Safety Committee, gave several ways the board could save money without asking the taxpayers for more funds. She told the board to, “Get to work!”
Former Supervisor Paul White, who is one of the four Democrat finalists for four trustee posts, said he would support renewing the four mills, but not going for 6.5 mills. He called the idea to have voters give more money to Public Safety so the township could keep the extra 2.5 mills it would have given to Public Safety to spend on other items was a “bait and switch … I think this is terrible, terrible,” White said.
Kevin McNamara, former county commissioner who won the Democrat Primary for VBT Supervisor, said he was in favor of the tax increase because it will free up dependence on the landfill.
- Previous story VBT puts 6.5 mills for Public Safety on Nov. 8 ballot
- Next story Beaches at Van Buren Park, Sumpter’s Sherwood Park closed because of E-coli levels
11 Comments
Weather
Here we go. McNamara already wanting to increase taxes without even looking at the problem. Band aid it, always the best solution. Nice job voting this guy into office VB. I can smell trouble for a long time to come.
Trouble will be coming down the road. He is going to follow along and do whatever he is told to do by the career politicians.
It is laughable that combs wants to run as a write-in trustee, it seems like an attempt have a “yes’ board.
If I wouldn’t have heard it from my own ears, I never could have imagined McNamara would be lying to the public before he was even sworn it. McNamara stating he supports a tax increase after he publically swore he only supported the 4 mill renewal.
That is one smooth talker that talked seniors out of their money to stab them in the back.
Here we go again…..
Glad to see Brenda continues to vote what we all are thinking, unlike the other 6 board members. Maybe she should continue with a write in campaign. It worked in Plymouth.
McNamara is going to be bad news I think…..
Reminder: McNamara did serve this community as a Wayne county executive for some years but he’s resided in VBT for perhaps only 5 or 6 years. His knowledge of this community is very limited and he is going to rely on information from the career politicians. Budd complained that McNamara was making promises he couldn’t keep and she was right; he now has to back-pedal and he hasn’t even been sworn in yet. She will be spending the next four years “teaching” him the political ropes, in other words: do things her way. In time, as a pupil, he will learn that if he does not go along she will throw him under the bus and she will sit there and watch as he faces public criticism.
The residents of VBT put up with the necessary business activities of the landfill. VBT receives free trash trash,, recycling and yard waste pickup. Also tipping fees which amount to over 3 million plus dollars annually. The tipping fees are used at the discretion of the Board as they determine. The Board has stated, they want the additional 2.5 mills to free up money in the General Fund, to be used for other purposes. Just as the last request for the additional millage, IMO this additional money is to create a “Segregated Visteon Bond payment Fund”. And, using the Public Safety Dept. to accomplish this is unacceptable. The last info I had was there is 11 million $$ in theGeneral Fund and Landfill Balance. This misrepresentation of the additional millage will not be beneficial to the Board or the residents. If the Board’s intent is to create a segregated fund to pay the Visteon Bond, present it to the residents stated as such. I fully support a 4 mil renewal of the PS millage, but absolutely not any increase as it is not necessary at this time. Threats to lay off PS employees is a hollow statement, and will only come back to haunt the current Elected Officials. Current info is the Bond payment shortfall will occur in 2019, and the new board will need to determine how to address the issue. Also, the Board stated, “We have four more bites at the millage in 2017 if it fails this time. Stay tuned and keep an eye on your pocket book or wallet.
Brenda McClanahan should run as a write-in candidate for supervisor. She’s the only elected official that does not want to increase the taxes for the residents. She proposes the renewal of the current 4 mills not the increase to 6.5 mills.
She will have my support if she runs as a write-in. We need the community to know that McNamara has lied. He should be exposed before the November election so that people can make informed decisions.
I also saw in the paper that James Chapman is running for Trustee and I will vote for him.
Mr. Chapman I think is running as a write in trustee. McNamara is in agreement with asking the residents to pay for the “king team mistake” (Visteon debacle). Paul White believes a renewal of 4 mills would pass at the polls but the increase to 6.5 mills will fail again.
To clarify Mr. Chapman is running as an Independent. Combs is running as a write-in trustee.
The voters were bamboozled! You can never trust a politician. Seems like Mr. McNamara has a few tricks up his sleeve and everything he spewed during his campaign was just a lie.
Be prepared for a huge tax increase residents, it’s coming.