This is about taking care of our current residents, and those who have been here for many years. This would additionally attract new residents.
We should look for ways to reduce the overall mill rate in Ypsilanti. Residents pay one of the highest rates in the state. And yes, we’ve all heard the excuses about lower values, rollbacks, the amount of land not on the tax rolls, etc., etc. None of this is going to change any time soon and perhaps never. These are factors that we have to live with.
The fact remains that folks who are able to shop for homes in the $150,000 range generally are not folks who can pay $4500 in taxes, nor should they have to. So what's the result of a high tax rate? Houses don't sell until prices drop significantly, thereby reducing the taxable values in order for the property to be affordable. In other words, significant reductions in prices must occur in order to realize a measurable reduction in taxable value, low enough to the point where the tax bill is actually affordable. When significant reductions occur the overall market value suffers - reducing all values in the area, leading to an eventual decline in neighborhood stability - a vicious spiral downward. It's simple: higher tax rates equal less interest in the area from both prospective, responsible homeowners and potential business investors.
The question is not whether or not the city can reduce the tax burden on its existing residents. The question should be HOW can we do it? Make the decision to do it because it’s the right thing to do, and then figure out how to get it done.
Get the government out of the private lives of our residents.
People want to know that they are safe, and that they have decent services (trash pick up, roads cleared, fire protection, police services). Otherwise people want to be left alone.
For years I have heard stories about the city meddling in the affairs of private residents. I have also experienced some of this first hand. While code inspections are necessary to maintain safe conditions for renters, homeowners, and surrounding neighbors, harassing residents about what kind of hand rail to put on your porch, whether or not you have a permit to put up a shed, requiring the “mom and pop” business to pay a business license fee in order to operate quietly out of their own home, or requiring the taxpaying resident to pay for the new sidewalk that the city mutilated, is all completely unconstitutional.
Get the government out of development.
Obviously the local government has botched the Water Street Project. Government does not have any business being involved in these types of projects. Government as a unit, and its paid bureaucrats have no true motivation! Their salaries are paid by you and me.
The number one and number two motivators in the marketplace are profit and fear. These two factors combined, engage the instinctive traits of private enterprises to move forward and produce successful results, at speeds and ability that far surpass what government is capable of doing.
Then there is the Historic District Commission, which I have seen deny the owner of a home the right to enlarge the opening of a window in order to gain more light in his house without cutting down a tree. In another case HDC said “no, you must have a rectangular window, not an oval window in that front door”. HDC sending a letter saying: “we noticed you painted your house without our permission”. Gee, you’re right, I spent my money on my property, which I pay the mortgage on, ungodly high taxes for, the property looks 1000% better, and the neighbors are happy. So what’s the problem? HDC is all about control, thereby restricting your ability to control your own private property. For years I have heard the complaints about, and experienced “Nazi” City Planners, Building Inspectors, and City Staff treating us as if we work for them.
This is wrong. Take your fascism somewhere else.
There is a lack of business experience and leadership on council. That specific experience and leadership has not been present on council for as long as I can recall.
A local and very well respected business man in Ypsilanti recently expressed his opinion to me that, and I paraphrase: in order to serve in public office, one should have to have had a minimum of 10 years of business ownership experience, and had to have paid the enormous amounts of taxes that businesses pay to multiple levels of government in exchange for nothing.
Strong words from a seasoned successful businessman. He’s got a point. The only way we can successfully approach and solve the fiscal challenges in this city is through the minds of people who have the experience of making the hard decisions day in and day out, decisions that affect their bottom line and their rear end today, tomorrow and the next day. Voting to kick the can down the road and put off today’s tough choices to another generation of elected officials and taxpayers is morally and fiscally irresponsible.
We need more of Ypsi’s successful business leaders to be engaged in politics. If business leaders are not willing to step up and make a real difference in the political arena, then you can expect those without business experience to step up, and we’ve seen the results of that for years.
Take your choice.
The Declaration of Independence states that we are “endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”, and that Government was “instituted” to simply “secure these rights”. Therefore, Government does not grant Rights.
If we would get government out of our lives and back to its original intent/limited role, then we would all be free to capitalize on the endless opportunities that cross our paths everyday without unnecessary government interference.
Take for instance the AATA issue - It is not the role of government to ensure or grant to me, the Right of having transportation to and from work. The majority should not be taxed to ensure that the few are guaranteed a ride. Each individual should be responsible for carrying their own weight. Either pay a higher bus fare (we are all paying more at the pump), ride a bike, walk, take a taxi, call a friend, whatever. But don’t force me to pay the way for somebody else.
The fact is that when we, Human Beings, are responsible for ourselves and perhaps backed up against the wall, we respond with much greater determination to succeed. But if we are counting on the “hand out”, then we fall into the continual trap of laziness and continue to take the hand out, never really maximizing our potential for independence and success.
E-mail: mike@mikeellerforypsi.com