Clarkston Weighs Options After Public Safety Millage Defeat

Clarkston officials are considering how to pay for police, fire and emergency services after voters rejected a proposed 7-mill, multi-year public safety tax by 25 votes. The proposal received 284 votes against it. The issue was discussed at a City Council meeting on November 9, as residents and leaders weighed possible next steps.

The city currently contracts with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for police services and the Independence Township Fire Department for fire protection. City Manager Jonathan Smith said the proposed increase would amount to about $20 a month for a home of average value. The cost for an individual homeowner would depend on the home’s taxable value, and could also be affected by changes to the city’s operating millage and budget.

Options discussed included a special election in May, a special assessment and a broader review of the city’s finances. Smith said the November ballot language was limited because the proposal was tied to a new budget that takes effect in May 2027. If the city lacks local police and fire services, he said, state police and the North Oakland Fire Authority could provide the needed support.

Residents differed over the proposal and its costs. One resident who supported the millage said he had debated his vote but believed the services were necessary. Another raised concerns about how the financial impact had been presented. Newly elected Councilman Richard Bisio argued officials should explore other options before seeking another tax increase.

The mayor and council plan to examine the available choices over the coming weeks, including what a special assessment could mean. Residents and officials still face the task of finding a way to fund essential services.

Clarkston’s Public Safety Funding Deficit Demands Action

Clarkston’s narrow rejection of a public safety millage leaves the city confronting a basic responsibility: keeping police, fire and emergency services funded. The 7-mill, multi-year proposal failed by 25 votes, with 284 votes against it, and officials discussed the consequences and alternatives at a November 9 City Council meeting.

The city contracts with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for police and the Independence Township Fire Department for fire protection. City Manager Jonathan Smith said the proposed increase would cost about $20 a month for a home of average value, though an individual bill would depend on taxable value and possible budget and operating-millage changes. He warned that without local police and fire services, the city would need assistance from state police and the North Oakland Fire Authority.

Officials are considering a special election in May, a special assessment and a review of city finances. Smith said ballot wording was limited because the millage was connected to a budget taking effect in May 2027. A resident who supported the measure said the services were needed, while another questioned how the financial impact had been explained.

Newly elected Councilman Richard Bisio urged officials to explore alternatives before asking taxpayers for more money. That scrutiny matters, but delay does not resolve the cost of emergency services or the prospect of losing local protection. The mayor and council plan to study the options, including a special assessment, over the coming weeks.

Clarkston Tax Debate Must Start With Alternatives

Clarkston voters rejected a proposed public safety tax, and city leaders should take seriously the demand behind that decision before returning to taxpayers for more. The 7-mill, multi-year measure failed by 25 votes, with 284 voters opposing it. At a November 9 council meeting, officials discussed a special election, a special assessment and a wider review of city finances.

The proposal was intended to help meet growing expenses for police, fire and emergency services. City Manager Jonathan Smith estimated the increase at about $20 monthly for a home of average value, while the actual cost would depend on taxable value and potential changes to the city’s operating millage and budget. The city contracts with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and Independence Township Fire Department.

Newly elected Councilman Richard Bisio argued that city officials should investigate other ways to manage emergency-service costs before seeking another tax increase. Residents also raised concerns about how the proposal’s potential financial impact was presented. Those concerns deserve more than a quick return to the ballot: officials need to examine the city’s finances and explain the options clearly.

The stakes are real. Smith said that if local police and fire services are unavailable, Clarkston could turn to Michigan State Police and the North Oakland Fire Authority. A special election in May is one possibility, but the mayor and council plan to research several paths over the coming weeks, including what a special assessment could mean. The next step should be a full examination of alternatives, not an assumption that another tax is the only answer.