Letter to the Editor: Resident Opposed to Fire Millage

Plymouth Township Fire Facts — the other side of the story:

I am really disappointed that the Plymouth Township firefighters refused to take concessions causing the City of Plymouth to at savings of over $400,000 a year. Because of this, the township needs to reduce its fire budget by 25 percent, not add to it. All other township employees took concessions to help in these economic hard times. To add insult to injury, the firefighters went to court and forced a special assessment district election on the taxpayers. This is more complicated than a simple one-mill tax increase.

1. Public Act 312 forces Michigan into compulsory binding arbitration with firefighters' unions. The act allows an unelected arbitrator to determine contracts, obligating taxpayer dollars. The result is elected officials are taken out of the process and costs can skyrocket. Arbitrators often give favorable rulings to unions.
2. Public Act 345 allows for millages to pay for the retirement benefits of  firefighters. After initial voter approval, millage rates increase automatically to pay for retirement benefits. The township could offload liability from its personnel budget directly to the taxpayers.
3. If a special assessment district is approved by the voters it affects the entire township. It is possible the firefighters could demand even higher wages and the millage could be increased to as high as 10 mills for capital improvements and unlimited wages and benefits. Voters would lose their right to vote on future taxes; it would be determined by the board of trustees or an arbitrator.
4. In this tough economic time, many of us in this community have lost our jobs, our homes and our business.  We have made sacrifices and our lives and dreams have been torn apart. Seniors are helping our unemployed children and grandchildren. Most of us do not have retirement and unlimited medical programs we must pay these expenses out of our own pockets.  We do not have the resources to extend unlimited benefits to all government employees while we make sacrifices at home. I am against a special assessment district tax that will affect all future generations in the township

Duane Zantop
Plymouth Township resident