Berkley: Send Us Your Millage Questions

Questions and comments have been pouring in to Berkley Patch about the Municipal Operating, Police and Fire Millage Proposal that will be on the Aug. 7 ballot for Berkley residents.

The city will hold at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Community Center, has sent an informational pamphlet to residents and posted the answers to frequently asked questions on its website, along with financial documents and the Citizens Advisory Committee report that prompted the request.

But, if you still have questions, please leave a comment on this story and we'll do our best to answer them!

Millage Proposal Basics

What: The Municipal Operating, Police and Fire Millage Proposal would levy a 3-mill Headlee Override to cover operating costs for the Public Safety Department, Public Library, Public Works Department, parks, sanitation and other services.

When: The millage request will appear on Berkley residents' Aug. 7 ballots.

Why: A 15-member Citizens Advisory Committee cited declines in property tax values and state revenue-sharing funds, as well as rising costs, when it recommended the millage request.

Cost: The proposal equals $3 per thousand dollars of taxable value, which the city estimates will cost the average Berkley homeowner an extra $175 each year. The millage would raise $1,362,000.

What else: If approved, residents would see the millage in their 2013 summer property tax bills. If the millage is defeated, the city will have to make cuts that could include leaf pickup, tree replacement, some street repairs, code enforcement, library hours and programs, Parks & Recreation programs and Public Safety officers.

More information: Visit the city of Berkley's website or call City Manager Jane Bais-DiSessa at 248-658-3350.