Polls will be open in Bloomfield Township from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. March 10. Absentee ballots are available now to those who can’t make it to the polls.
Bloomfield Township residents can vote to renew the millage, which will keep the tax rates the same and public services strong. Or they can vote against the millage renewal, knowing it will result in a weakened police and fire department.
Opponents of the millage, led by lawyer Don Valente, say it’s money that could be found elsewhere in the township budget, which they insist is loaded with waste. They add that Morin is trying to scare people with his talk of losing first responders if the millage fails.
“People live in this community because they know they’re safe and protected. Plus, Bloomfield Township is an aging community, and what we do allows our residents to age at home,” Morin said. “For many, we’re like a second family. If this millage fails, the service we provide will not remain the same. For them or anybody else.”
“If this millage doesn’t pass, I stand to lose around 22 people. All because of misinformation,” he said.
Concerned that voters will falsely regard the millage as a tax increase and vote against it, many policemen and firemen are already looking for new jobs outside of the township. It’s a contentious situation for Fire Chief Mike Morin.
If the millage fails, Bloomfield Township will also have to shutter two of its four fire stations and lose approximately one-third of its first responders, around 20 police officers and 20 fire fighters.
If the millage renewal fails, the township will have to outsource emergency medical services, which will more than double response times from the current 6 minutes to more than 12 minutes. That extra time could result in lost lives.
In the past year, Bloomfield Township has cut approximately $4 million out of its budget and is now looking at a millage renewal. The proposal would allow the township to maintain its current high level of services for police and fire operations. The renewal is not a new tax, nor will it increase taxes for residents.
Bloomfield Township residents are about to vote on a critical millage renewal that could mean the difference between life and death.