Liberty trustees nix plans for new road levy on ballot

June 14, 2017 at 12:00a.m.

LIBERTY

Trustees have decided against bringing a new road tax before voters in November.

Last month, they raised the possibility of placing such a levy on the ballot to fund street paving. Fiscal Officer Steve Shelton suggested they consider a 1-mill levy.

This week, however, trustees Chairman Stanley Nudell said while he believes more funding is needed for roads, it would be a struggle to convince voters to approve an added tax.

Township voters approved a new five-year 1.25-mill road levy in 2014 after voting down versions of the tax previously. That levy generates about $226,320 annually and costs the owner of a $100,000 home about $35 yearly.

It costs roughly $100,000 to pave one mile of road. The township supplements its road-levy revenue with federal and state paving grants.

Nudell worried residents would be reluctant to renew the existing road levy during a subsequent election after being asked to approve a new levy.

“I think it’s going to be convoluted,” Nudell said.

Stoyak referenced three failed efforts to pass previous road levies and agreed it would be challenging to communicate with voters.

“I’m not going to go out there again and bang my head against a wall to try and educate people,” she said.

The deadline to submit measures for the Nov. 7 ballot is Aug. 9.