Sheriff King encourages votes for Drug Task Force Millage
By Barb Pert Templeton
The Aug. 6 primary ballot in St. Clair County will include five proposals for voters to consider asking for funding for veterans, roads, law enforcement, parks and recreation and a college millage proposal.
At a recent Algonac City Council meeting Sheriff Mat King took some time to address the Aug. 6 ballot proposal seeking the renewal of a Drug Investigation and Prosecution Task Force Millage.
King said the Drug Task Force millage is up in August and he encouraged everyone to get out and vote in favor of it.
The sheriff said the funding provides the cost for one lieutenant, two sergeants, nine deputies, one support staff at sheriff’s office, two Port Huron police officers, one Clay Township police officed and one Marysville police officer. It also funds one prosecutor and one support staff at the prosecutor’s office, two border patrol agents and one customs protection agent on the team although the millage doesn’t pay for those last three listed.
“It’s not just the drugs, not the amount of drug raids we do, that’s not the only impact we have, I often say most crimes that aren’t connected in a domestic way are related to substance abuse a lot of time it’s not just alcohol but drugs,” King said.
He said people don’t rob a liquor store to pay rent they do it because they are desperate and they need money for drugs or to pay debts because of drugs. People don’t break into a garage to pay the electric bill they are stealing things to swap it for drugs and alcohol, King added.
“So, it’s important work that the drug task force does it has a huge impact on making sure that drug dealers don’t come into our communities and create other criminal activities or enterprises and las year alone we took $3.5 million dollars’ worth of drugs off the street,” King said.
The Drug Investigation and Prosecution Task Force
Shall a previously voter approved St. Clair County millage of .5598 mills ($.5598 per $1000 of taxable value) in excess of constitutional limitations be renewed for a period of 4 years, from 2024 through 2027 inclusive, to be used for the purpose of providing funds for the operation of a Drug Task Force, comprised of personnel and equipment from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of St. Clair County, to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in the distribution of illegal controlled substances and related offenses? This proposed millage is a renewal of a previously approved millage in the same amount. If approved and levied in full this millage would raise estimated revenues of $4,234,752 the first year levied?
St. Clair County Veterans Affairs Millage:
One of five proposals on the Aug. 6 primary ballot is for the purpose of raising funds to provide financial aid to veterans and their families and to provide financial support for the administration of the St. Clair County Department of Veterans Affairs.
For the purpose of raising funds to provide financial aid to veterans and their families and to provide financial support for the administration of the St. Clair County Department of Veterans Affairs shall the Constitutional limitation upon the total amount of taxes which may be assessed in one (1) year upon all taxable property in St Clair County be increased by .10 mills ($.10 per thousand dollars of taxable value) for a period of six years, 2024 through 2029, inclusive? If approved this new millage would raise approximately $756,476.00 in the first year levied with funds used solely to provide financial aid to veterans and their families and to provide financial support for the administration of the St. Clair County Department of Veterans Affairs.
Renewal of Road Improvements Millage
For the purpose of raising funds to be used to improve and maintain roads, streets and highways within St. Clair County and for use as matching funds necessary to obtain State and Federal highway improvement aid for use in St. Clair County, shall the one-quarter (0.2495) mill ($0.2495 per thousand dollars of sate taxable valuation) levy upon the total amount of taxes which may be assessed in one (1) year upon all property within the County of St. Clair, Michigan, be renewed for four (4) years, 2024 through 2027, inclusive? Based on the State of Michigan taxable values of real property, this millage would raise an estimated $1,887,407 in the first year the levy is renewed.
An Aug. 6 primary ballot proposal is asking voters to approve an increase in funding for the St. Clair County Parks and Recreation System.
Additional St. Clair County Parks and Recreation Millage
Shall the limitation upon the amount of taxes which may be assessed in a year be increased by .4944 mills ($.4944 per $1000 of taxable value) for a period of three (3) years, 2025 through 2027 inclusive, to provide additional funds to be used and dispersed for the purpose of acquiring, developing, and maintaining parks and recreation facilities within the St. Clair County Parks and Recreation system in accordance with the Parks and Recreation Plan for St. Clair County as adopted and amended? If approved, this new millage would raise approximately $3,459,300.00 in the first year levied.
St. Clair Community College Headlee Override Millage Restoration Proposal
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be levied against all taxable property by the St. Clair County Community College District be increased by .1112 mills ($.1112 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2024 and thereafter in order to restore the Community College District’s ability to fully levy a 1.5 mill operational levy previously approved by the voters which has subsequently been reduced to 1.3888 pursuant to the Headlee Amendment to the Michigan Constitution. Proceeds from the millage will be used to fund general operations of St. Clair County Community College. If approved the Headlee override portion of the millage would raise an estimated $773,000 in the first year.
