Title
Resolution to Order Election and to Determine Ballot Question for Charter Amendment for the 2022 Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage (7 Votes Required)
Memorandum
For approximately 40 years the Street Resurfacing/Reconstruction Millage, augmented with matching funds from Federal and State grants, has been the principal funding source for repair, resurfacing, and reconstruction of the City's streets and bridges; and recently the repairs of sidewalks.
In 1988, 1991, 1996, 2001, and 2006 the voters in Ann Arbor approved the collection of two mills annually for the resurfacing and reconstruction of streets. These millages, replaced a prior major street millage (1.5 mills for five years beginning in 1984), and prior bond issues ($3M in 1982 and 1986) and general funds for local streets.
In 2011 and 2016 the voters in Ann Arbor approved the collection of up to 2.125 mills annually for the resurfacing and reconstruction of streets and bridges, and for the repair of sidewalks by the City. The passage of this millage, combined with the associated modifications to City Code, removed the responsibility of performing sidewalk repairs in the public right-of-way from the adjacent property owners and placed it upon the City. The last of the most recent millage will be collected in July 2021.
Following the previous five-year cycle, the millage would have been scheduled to appear on the ballot in 2021. However, with the change in the election cycle, there will not necessarily be a ballot in 2021 on which to add the approval of this millage; and conducting a special election would come at a considerable cost (roughly $100,000.00). Therefore, it is being proposed to put this item on the November 2020 ballot, and if approved, the new millage would take effect when the current millage expires in 2022.
Therefore, if approved by Council, on November 3, 2020 voters will be asked to approve a 2.125-mill Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage for the next five years following t...
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