Court Backs Plymouth Township on Wording of Proposed Fire Millage

The Michigan Court of Appeals last week sided with Plymouth Township in a debate over the wording of a proposed millage aimed at preventing job cuts in the Plymouth Community Fire Department, the Plymouth Observer reported.

According to the report, a three-judge appeals panel on Dec. 13 rejected a request by the Citizens Action Group of Plymouth Township to order township officials to put a 1-mill, five-year tax through a special assessment district (SAD) before voters to fund the department.

The ruling comes one year after the Plymouth Township Board of Trustees put on the ballot a proposal allowing up to 10 mills for the department's capital expenses, plus an unlimited millage for maintenance and operations with the figure decided annually by the board, the report said.

In a petition circulated to township residents, the CAG sought the 1-mill, five-year tax.

Voters swiftly voted down the millage question on Feb. 28. On March 1, the township laid off six firefighters.

• See a timeline of the fire millage debate.