Yesterday Grand Rapids had a proposal on the ballot that would raise the income tax rate in the city from 1.3% to 1.5% for all residents. It passed, barely. GR tax hike OKd by razor-thin margin | WOOD TV

I have worked elections for the city for the past few years and am just amazed at the low turnout. In the precinct that I was working there were three things on the ballot. 1) A school board race 2) The income tax hike 3) A vote to remove the city charter requirement that a work day must be 8 hours. The school board race was hit or miss, since I am sure not everyone knew, myself included, every name on the ballot. The income tax hike failed 91 No to 72 Yes. The charter rule removal passed with a wide margin. To quantify the turn out, we processed 163 ballots for 1066 registered voters, or about 15%.

I really thought that city voters would come out in droves because of the income tax hike. Unlike property taxes, the city income tax effects every resident that has any form of income. However the city leaders are not stupid, and they know that the low turnout in May coupled with the ultimatum they gave would work in their favor.

“City officials are clear about one thing — without the additional revenue, as many as 35 police officers and firefighters would be among a new round of cuts. Some services, like parks and recreation, would go away all together.” WOOD TV

The city is estimating they will raise $7.5 million with the tax increase, however they are only dedicating $2.5 million to the police and fire departments. I guess one way to bully a yes vote is to threaten to fire 35 public safety persons.

Yes I know they were asking for this money to help fund the parks department. Yes I know the hike is officially only for 5 years. This does remind me of a time when the school district where I grew up asked for and received a property tax millage to build and renovate. The millage was written to automatically expire after a set number of years. However, when that deadline grew near the district asked to extend the millage. They promoted this as “Your taxes will not go up at all from their current level.” I don’t remember if that millage extension passed, or if it was eventually removed. I can’t help but think that in four years the City of Grand Rapids is going to ask residents to approve making the 1.5% tax rate permanent.

I have no problem letting everyone know that I voted no. I don’t like higher taxes. I don’t like city leaders that think they can bully people for more money. I don’t like that the city leaders think five years of higher taxes while they get their act together with the budget is okay.

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