Title
Resolution of Intent Regarding Applications of Potential Washtenaw County Millage to Support Community Mental Health Department, County Sheriff Operations, and Policing Jurisdictions Rebate
Staff
Prepared by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners (the “Board of Commissioners”) has approved the placement of a proposal of a ballot question on the November 7, 2017, ballot to increase the tax limitation within Washtenaw County by one (1) millage point for eight (8) years to provide funding: (1) for Washtenaw County’s Community Mental Health Department for mental health crisis, stabilization and prevention efforts; (2) for the County Sheriff’s Office to ensure continued operations and greater cooperation with the Mental Health Community; and (3) for those local entities within Washtenaw County which maintain their own police forces (the “Millage”);
Whereas, The current millage proposal would allocate: 37% of the total millage to the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health Department (whether constituted as an agency or an authority) to be used for mental health crisis, stabilization and prevention efforts and to prevent unnecessary incarceration of individuals with mental health needs; 38% of the total millage to the Washtenaw County Sheriff to ensure continued operations and greater cooperation with the mental health community; and 24% of the total millage (the “General Fund Rebate”) to those jurisdictions within the County which maintain their own police force (the Cities of Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Milan, Saline, and Ypsilanti, and Pittsfield and Northfield Townships) (the “Policing Jurisdictions”);
Whereas, The identification of Ann Arbor’s contemplated usage of a General Fund Rebate prior to consideration of the millage might prove useful to voters;
Whereas, FY18 allocations in the City budget to Police Services, Fire Services, and the 15th District Court account for approximately Forty Six Million Five Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars ($46,530,000.00) or 44.6% of the General Fund budget and these amounts are adequate to provide for community safety services;
Whereas, The promotion of pedestrian safety, affordable housing, and climate action are goals that are important to the Ann Arbor community for which there are presently insufficient resources to bring municipal action in line with community aspiration;
Whereas, The General Fund Rebate, as approved by the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners to be placed on the November 7, 2017, ballot, would return to Ann Arbor between $2.3M - $2.5M beginning in FY20; and
Whereas, The Energy Commission endorses the City’s intention to use a portion of the General Fund Rebate to support implementation of Ann Arbor’s Climate Action Plan;
RESOLVED, That if the voters approve the millage on the November 7, 2017, ballot, City Council intends to use the General Fund Rebate it receives for the duration of the millage in the following amounts, for the following purposes:
• A total of 20% will be applied to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety through the installation of new street lighting in accordance with approved plans, installation of pedestrian-activated signals, filling of sidewalk gaps, construction of protected and/or buffered bicycle facilities (in accordance with approved Transportation and Non-Motorized Master Plans), and funding of trail and other off-road active transportation connections (including the B2B and/or Treeline Trails); and
• A total 40% will be applied to support the construction, renovation, and capital improvements of affordable housing assets (including the Broadway Apartments and Swift Housing Project) and the establishment of a sinking fund to provide for utilities connection fees, environmentally sustainable systems and other infrastructure costs for future projects to effect the goals of the Affordable Housing Needs Assessment (a/k/a Washtenaw County Housing Affordability and Economic Equity Analysis); and
• A total of 40% will be applied to effect the goals of Ann Arbor’s Climate Action Plan including but not limited to funding EnergySmart Ann Arbor efforts in the areas of home audits, education and other programs that serve to improve energy efficiency and reduce consumption, Charge Up Ann Arbor! programs which support electric vehicle charging infrastructure, group buys and fleet conversions, and Solar for All programs providing discounted individual solar purchases for owned residential and commercial properties and community solar offerings.
Sponsored by: Mayor Taylor and Councilmembers Frenzel and Smith