“We are not going to be able to fix our roads unless we find some additional revenue.”
Superintendent Cameron VanWyngarden says Plainfield Township needs more money for road maintenance because to increase highway funding in the state budget lawmakers in Lansing reduced revenue sharing payments to townships.
“So, the irony is the state took money away from townships to pay for roads, so we had less money to fund our roads.”
To make up for the state cuts, Plainfield trustees are raising property taxes half a mill. Although trustee Bob Reminga would rather not:
“I reluctantly support this. We are kind of caught between a rock and a hard place.”
VanWyngarden says this will cost property owners:
“If you have a home value of $400,000, $200,000 of taxable value, it would be $100 a year.”
Supervisor Tom Coleman says none of the millage money can be used for other needs.
“The millage that we are talking about has to be used for roads. We can’t spend that in other areas.”
Art Spalding was the only resident to address trustees before their vote to approve the tax.
“Not many residents of Plainfield Township are happy to see a tax increase. It’s necessary. We need to improve our roads.”
