Will Oakland County Say Yes to Higher Park Taxes?

In a few months, people living in Oakland County will have some thinking to do. This fall, they’ll be voting on whether they’re okay with more of their taxes going into Oakland County’s parks.

Right now, homeowners pay a 35 cent tax on each $1,000 value of their property. This money goes towards parks in the area. But, should voters agree, they’ll be paying a bumped-up fee of 65 cents on each $1,000 value of their property. And the plan is to do this until 2043.

Though opinions are divided among county commissioners, the decision to put this on the November ballot got a nod in mid-July. Some feel that the parks are urgently in need of a cash injection for repairs and maintenance, which, according to them, isn’t possible unless the park tax rate is nearly doubled. However, others feel the current parks tax rate is fine and there’s no need for an increase.

Republicans Michael Spisz, Bob Hoffman and Karen Joliat were the folks who didn’t support the tax increase. Hoffman’s opinion brought up the idea of “increased burden on homeownership” and he suggested the Parks department look at their operations.

The people who run the parks say extra funds are necessary, especially for parks with water features and campgrounds. They gave the example of Red Oaks water park in Madison Heights that needed around $400,000 in repairs for this season. Their view is that about $10 million needs to be put into the park to bring it up to today’s standards, as well as cutting down operating costs.

If voters say ‘yes’ to the tax increase, the extra money would be used to make the parks free to visit at 17 locations. They would also expand trails, improve accessibility, and put money into education and conservation efforts. From the increased tax rate, the parks department hopes to pull in about $52 million a year. This overtime would add up to $100 million by the time the tax increase period ends in 2043.

If the new higher tax rate gets voters’ approval, an average house in Oakland County will have to pay $40 more annually.

Those who support the move argue that the need for funds has been around for a while, as there are projects that have been held back due to lack of money.

Another example of a potential improvement, given by the parks department, is the Red Oaks golf course. Currently, irrigation is done using an expensive public water supply. The parks department would like to install a system that captures and reuses stormwater.

Those opposing the tax increase say the parks need to prioritize their expenses and keep up on their maintenance.

“Voters have a right to choose if they want to pay higher taxes in order to preserve parks and other recreational resources that make Oakland County a great place to live,” was the voice expressed in the press release.

If the vote doesn’t go in favor of the parks, they’ll have to face the reality of phasing out some of the properties they can’t financially support in the long run.

The parks department also won’t be able to take on large projects, like buying up large areas of natural space, if voters don’t agree on the tax hike.