Troy Action Net

We gave it the best we had, and we will continue to do so.

2010-02-23T21:43:00.003-05:00

The results are in, and unfortunately, the millage did not pass. Despite this, I truly believe we all gave it the best we had in ourselves. Some went door to door, others made phone calls, and many attended rallies. It was a lot of fun, and we all learned a great deal from the experience.

While we could spend our time blaming this on a number of things, I think we need to focus on the future. Here's where we are now. The city is facing a $22 million loss in revenue, and can no longer afford many of the services we hold near and dear to our hearts. Without the additional revenue, the library, community center, nature center, and museum may close. At the same time, as much as 30% of the police force could be laid off. We cannot let this happen.

No matter what, services will have to be scaled back. Troy will not be the same over the next five years. We unfortunately have to face this fact, and make the best of it and work with it. Over the course of the past few months, we've put together a coalition of hundreds of people. We have teenagers, seniors, and everyone in between. At this time, we all need to use our talents to put together a plan of action to make Troy the best place it possibly can be.

Since the start of the Vote YES Facebook page, there has been a great conversation about the millage. Hundreds of people have been informed by their fellow citizens. Please become a fan of Troy Action Net on Facebook so we can continue this incredible discussion. From there, we can continue to share ideas of how to make Troy an even better place, and put them into action.

We may have lost this battle, but our fight isn't over.

This is NOT a 29% tax increase

2010-02-17T14:51:00.003-05:00

If you live in Troy, there's no doubt that you've seen the signs. "29% Tax Hike," they read. The problem with these signs is that they are complete distortions of the facts.

Here's the truth: for the average residence, taxes will increase by only $38 if the millage passes.

The figure of 29% was obtained by dividing proposed 1.9 mills by the current tax rate of 9.28 mills. However, millage is only 70% of the taxes you pay to the city of Troy. This means there will only be a tax raise for 70% of your city taxes. Overall, the tax rate will be only 20% higher (this number was achieved by taking 70% of 29%. .70*.29=.20).

Saying your taxes will increase by 20% is still a distortion, though. Property values are decreasing everywhere in the region, and in Troy, the average taxable value will be 12% lower in 2010 than in 2009. In 2009, the average city of Troy tax bill was $1,113. In 2010, with the additional 1.9 mills, the average tax bill will be $1,151. 1,151 divided by 1,113 is 1.0339. That means that the average tax bill will be only 3.39% higher in 2010 with the additional 1.9 mills.

We have only 6 days before the election. Please, spread the word, and stop the lies.

More information: http://troymi.gov/2010Proposal/

Save Troy Rally - This Tuesday

2010-02-05T00:59:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday, February 9th at 7 PM, come to the Troy Sports Center to show your support for a yes vote on the special election.

Anyone who comes can speak in support of the millage. Please bring your friends and neighbors.

Teenagers who attend will receive a free skate pass.

Let's have a large turn out!

Troy Leadership Coalition reccomends a 'YES' Vote

2010-01-22T23:25:00.002-05:00

After hosting the public forum on the millage proposal at Walsh College last week, the Troy Leadership Coalition (TLC) has unanimously voted to support a yes vote on the millage. They came to this decision because they believe it is the best solution to addressing the budget shortfall.

What makes this endorsement so interesting is the fact that the TLC represents many different concerned citizens. Despite what a common myth suggests, support for the millage is not only rampant in "liberal nutjobs." In fact, the representatives at the TLC that voted to support the millage were from the Troy Area Democratic Club, the Troy Area Republican Club, and the Troy Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, please read their post at: http://troyleadershipcoalition.org/

Fact vs. Fiction: The Troy Millage

2010-01-21T15:48:00.000-05:00

In any election, there's bound to be a lot of controversy. Out of this controversy, myths will rise and people will receive false information. Here, we present three of the biggest myths about the February 23rd election. We'll post more myths over the next few days, so please check back often!

MYTH: The proposed millage will increase our taxes so much that Troy will have one of the highest millage rates in Southeast Michigan.

THE TRUTH: Currently, Troy has the lowest millage rate out of all other full-service communities in Oakland County. With the additional 1.9 mills, Troy will still have the fourth lowest.

MYTH: We are in this mess because of terrible management on the part of the city, not because of falling property values.

THE TRUTH: To some people, we don't need services like a strong police force, 24-hour snow removal, and a library. However, if you consider services like these to be necessities to our city, then our city is run very well compared to most other cities in the country. In fact, CNN Money named Troy as the 22nd best place to live in the United States in 2008. Troy would not be given this honor if its management was bad.

MYTH: Instead of the millage, cutting back spending by 10% will make up for the budget gap.

THE TRUTH: Cutting back 10% would be a temporary solution that will still cost us a reduction in the police department, fire department, and snow removal. The library will also be forced to be closed for more hours, and there will be many more layoffs in all departments.

More to come soon. Please bookmark this page and check the blog often.

Are you registered to vote?

2010-01-18T14:47:00.002-05:00

Voting registration for the Feb. 23rd millage election ends on January 25th. That's this coming Monday. If you still need to register, here are some links you may need:

Federal Post Card Application Form
Federal Post Card Application Form Instructions
Request for Absent Voter Ballot
City Clerk's phone number: (248) 524-3317

7.0 earthquake strikes Haiti; How you can help

2010-01-12T20:58:00.003-05:00

The primary purpose of this blog is to address the issues specifically related to Troy, MI. However, when there is a disaster as great as what has happened in Haiti earlier today, I have to make an exception on moral grounds.

Just before 5 PM on Tuesday, January 12, a 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti. The epicenter was just ten miles away from the capital city, Port-au-Prince. After the world heard the news of a hospital collapse during the quake, just how big the damage could end up became apparent. Though the death toll and property damage is unknown, Haitian officials expect both to be extensive.

CNN has compiled a list of organizations you can donate to in order to assist in saving lives and rebuilding what was lost. I encourage everyone to donate to any of these organizations, no matter how little the contribution is. I will be donating to the International Red Cross because I know I can trust them after their years of hard work.

Thank you everyone. Together, we can make a difference.

A Highschooler's Point of View

2010-01-11T15:15:00.000-05:00

"This young man should spend more time doing what teenage boys do. Working on his pimples and thinking about girls." -A comment regarding me and my efforts to get the millage passed.

Hello everyone,

My name's Zach Kilgore. I'm a tenth grader at Troy High School. Most people would view me as a normal teenager - I have plenty of friends, I'm a part of a few clubs, and I waste a huge amount of my time listening to music. The reason why I'm writing this is because of an article that was written in the Detroit News, and the comments that people made in response. Many people didn't understand why I'm doing this. They didn't get why I, an adolescent, would spend my time blogging about the millage and trying to convince adults to vote yes on it.

I can't vote. I don't pay taxes. However, once a week, you can find me at the Troy Public Library. About every other week I go to the Lloyd A. Stage Nature Center, and twice a month I attend the Interact Club meetings at the Troy Community Center.

A very close friend of mine's house burned down about a year ago. She lost almost everything. This was an incredibly rough time for her. She had no home - no place to go to except for a hotel. However, there was a time when I was hanging out with her that she spotted one of the firefighters who saved her house from total destruction. "Oh my gosh!" she shouted as she ran over to thank him.

The fact of the matter is that without the passage of the millage, cuts will have to be made in the fire department. It doesn't end there, though. Dozens of police officers will be forced to be laid off. If the millage does not pass, we will lose our community center, museum, nature center, and even our library.

So why am I working so hard on this? If the millage is not passed, it will affect me greatly. It will affect my friends and fellow students. In fact, all of us that live in Troy will lose many of the services and buildings that make our city unique and great. It doesn't matter if I'm 15, and it doesn't matter if I can't pay taxes. I'm still going to lose out immensely if the millage proposal does not pass.

Troy Leadership Coalition to host an open forum this Tuesday

2010-01-08T17:09:00.000-05:00

This Tuesday, January 12, the Troy Leadership Coalition will be hosting an open forum on the millage proposal at Walsh College. The forum, hosted by local attorney and legal analyst Charlie Langton, will feature a panel with spokespersons from both supporters of the millage and opponents of it. City manager John Szerlag will also be on the panel.

Everyone is invited, and written questions from the audience will be welcome.

I encourage everyone that reads this to come out and show your support for the millage. If we can show just how many people care about the city, it can send a great message to undecided voters. To spread the word, please RSVP to the unofficial event page on Facebook and send invite as many of your friends as possible.

Troy Leadership Coalition Public Forum
Tuesday, January 12, 2008
7:00 PM
Walsh College Auditorium
3838 Livernois Rd.
Troy, MI 48083

Vote YES on the Troy millage proposal

2009-12-31T00:10:00.000-05:00

Everything that makes Troy unique is at risk.

The city, facing a budget deficit, plans to cut back on its police force and fire department, while also closing its library, community center, nature center, and historical museum.

A yes vote on 2/23/10 will ensure this does not happen.

The Problem
The city makes most of its money off of taxes from citizens. How much they tax an individual is based on their property value. The higher your property values are, the more money in taxes you pay.

As the local economy suffers, the the property values are in a free-fall. According to the city manager's 6-year Organizational Restructing Plan, Troy's revenue is likely to decline by $22 million by 2015.

The Solution
On February 23, 2010 a citywide election will be held for citizens to vote on a millage proposal. If approved, the proposal will allow City Council to levy a millage of up to an additional 1.9 mills (that's the equivalent of $1.90 for every $1,000.00 taxable value) for a maximum of five years. This will give the city $9,129,000.00 in the first year it is levied.

This may sound like quite a bit of extra money you'll be spending, but the reality is that the average city tax bill will only increase by $38 in 2010 with the passage of the millage. Currently, the average city tax bill (on a $206,000 home) is $1,140. Without the new proposal, the number will be $956. With the millage, it will be $1,152.

What's at Stake
A no vote on the proposal will have a lot of negative consequences. For example, many departments will downsized or elimated, resulting in the loss of dozens of jobs. In addition to that, the fire department will be forced to lay off some of its heroes, and the police department will have to cut as many as 50 full-time officers. It gets worse. There will be layoffs in public works and city services, including 24-hour snow removal. Lastly, the Troy Public Library, Troy Museum, Lloyd A. Stage Nature Center, and Troy Community Center will all be closed.

A yes vote will maintain all of these distinguishing features Troy possesses.

No Time to Lose
To vote, you must register by Monday, January 25. The election will be held on Tuesday, February 23, from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM. For absentee voting, the City Clerk's office will be open on Saturday, February 20, from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM.

Additional Information

NOTE: Before 8:15 PM on Monday, January 4th, there was a mistake in the article. It said that Troy's revenue was likely to decline by $10.5 million. In actuality, however, the decline is likely to be $22 million. The incident was caused by a mistake made by the reporter in a news article.