MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Meridian Township residents go to the polls Nov. 3 to settle whether to keep paying a police and fire tax that township leaders say keeps response times down as calls keep climbing.
The proposal renews, at 1.4563 mills, a levy first approved in 2017. That works out to about $1.46 for every $1,000 of taxable value, for another decade covering 2027 through 2036. The ballot language puts the first-year haul at roughly $3,705,000. Because it replaces an existing tax, the township says its overall rate would not go up.
The money pays for officers and firefighters, new gear and the pension debt the township owes. Police Chief Rick Grillo said the pension fund sits near 80% funded, and the plan is to reach full funding. Big-ticket purchases include fire engines at about $1 million apiece and patrol cars near $85,000 each.
Demand has grown since the last vote. Police calls are up close to 20% and fire runs more than 30%, and Fire Chief Mike Hamel said his crews handle about 19 calls on an average day. Grillo said losing the money would slow emergency response and cut into proactive patrols.
A separate parks millage renewal of 0.6503 mills is on the same ballot to maintain the township network of 30 parks and its pathways.
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