TRAVERSE CITY -- Residents in East Bay and Acme townships will continue to live with pothole patches after voters rejected matching millage requests in both townships to fix local roads.
The proposed road millages were to be one mill for five years. The tax would have raised an estimated $500,000 in its first year for East Bay Township and $317,000 in Acme Township. Acme voters rejected the new tax 709 to 535, while East Bay Township rejected their version 1,539 to 717.
"I'm very relieved, because a lot of people who can't afford it aren't going to have something forced on them," said Debbie Luhrs of East Bay, a millage opposition leader. "I'm also excited, because in a low-turnout election people got out, got involved, and stood up for themselves."
Clerks in both townships said the road millage significantly boosted turnout for a Traverse City Area Public Schools board election.
Acme's turnout was 41.5 percent while East Bay came in at about 26.5 percent.
Renee Kaufman, a co-leader of the Fix Our Roads Committee that promoted the millage campaign, said her committee volunteers were disappointed, but proud they ran "a positive campaign that got the word out to everyone."
"We're celebrating our accomplishment," Kaufman said. "We did the right thing, we took it to a vote, and we're glad because it's the democratic way."
Several residents polled in both townships said they either didn't want to pay more taxes or didn't expect any personal benefit from the tax.
"We've lived in the same house for 22 years and they've never fixed our road, and while it helps people in the township, it does nothing for me directly," said Mike Conners of North Spider Lake Road in East Bay Township.
Michigan's poor economy prompted Conners' wife Nina to oppose the millage.
"People are out of work and suffering. What a horrible time to ask for money," she said.
Acme resident Thomas Jones wasn't about to add another item to his tax bill.
"There's too much waste," Jones said.
Some said they voted no because they believed few would benefit outside the Holiday Hills area.
"I think it's just for Holiday Hills and I don't live in Holiday Hills," said Denise Whiteford of East Bay Township.
The roads Carrie Baic drives most often in Acme weren't high enough on the township's road-fix priority list to qualify for millage funding. But Baic voted for the millage, regardless.
"The roads need fixing, and I will drive some of those roads," Baic said.
Judy Childs of East Bay Township said if voters don't fix the roads, no one will.
"The roads are in horrible shape," Childs said. "The county pays for the main roads and we have to take care of the side roads."
East Bay Township Supervisor Glen Lile said the township has no money for roads and won't ask voters to consider another tax.
The issue appears dead in Acme Township, as well, said Clerk Dorothy Dunville.
"Times are tight for people, I guess, but I don't want to hear any crying from the public now about their roads," Dunville said.
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