On the Ballot: Royal Oak Sidewalk Millage
Royal Oak, MI- Royal Oak voters will decide on a sidewalk millage.  Here is info from the City of Royal Oak website:
Sidewalk Millage Proposal
The cost of sidewalk repair and replacement is currently assessed to the adjacent property owner. If approved, this proposal would end this practice and authorize the city to levy a property tax of up to 0.75 mill per year to be used exclusively for sidewalk repair and replacement.
Last year, the cost of sidewalk repair for individual property owners was $130.75 per “square” for four-inch thick concrete and $155.75 per “square” for six-inch thick concrete (needed where a driveway crosses the sidewalk).
The city will continue to repair and replace sidewalk flags as necessary regardless of the funding source. Currently, sidewalks are repaired on a continuous six-year cycle of neighborhoods throughout the city.
If approved, the millage will not cover the cost of entirely new sidewalks where no sidewalks currently exist. Those costs will continue to be assessed to the adjacent property owner.
If approved, property owners who chose to spread a previous assessment over multiple years will still be required to complete those payments.
If approved, the millage will extend for six years to coincide with the six-year replacement schedule throughout the neighborhoods. Any extension would require voter approval.
Taxpayer’s cost will be up to 75 cents per thousand dollars of taxable value.  For example, if your taxable value is $85,577, which is the average taxable value in Royal Oak, your cost would be up to $65 per year if the city needed to levy the full amount.     Shall the proposal be adopted?
The exact wording of the sidewalk millage proposal as it will appear on the ballot is:
Charter Amendment – Sidewalk Millage
The proposed amendment to chapter 8, section 11 of the Royal Oak City Charter, if approved, would allow the city to levy a millage of up to 0.75 mills for a period of up to six (6) years beginning December 1, 2018, to defray the costs of maintaining, repairing and replacing public sidewalks in the City of Royal Oak.
Shall the proposal be adopted?
Election Day is Nov. 6, 2018.  Find more information on ballot proposals and candidates at Oakland County Clerk’s website, and Oakland County Times Election Page.