Know Before You Vote

On November 6, there will be two City of Royal Oak proposals on the general election ballot. The first is a proposal to establish and fund a local transportation service. The second is a proposal to fund sidewalk repairs with a millage rather than with individual assessments.

Local Public Transit Millage Proposal

If approved, the city would levy up to 1.25 mills for five years beginning December 2018 to fund a local transit system.

• It is anticipated the transit system would be operated by SMART and would commence operation in 2019.
• If approved, the location of local transit stops, and the hours of operation will be determined by a study of community residents and businesses.
• Taxpayers’ cost will be $1.25 per thousand dollars of taxable value.  For example, if your taxable value is $85,577, which is the average taxable value in Royal Oak, your cost would be $107 per year.  There is a millage calculator on the right, which will show you how much this proposal will add to your tax bill. If you need assistance, please call the assessing department at 248-246-3110.
• If approved, the millage would be for a period of five years. Any renewals would require voter approval.
• Additional funding may come from fares paid by riders, SMART, state, and federal funds. 

The exact wording of the public transit millage proposal as it will appear on the ballot is:

Charter Amendment - Public Transit System Millage

The proposed amendment to chapter 8, section 11 of the Royal Oak City Charter, if approved, would allow the city to levy a millage of up to 1.25 mills for a period of up to five years beginning December 1, 2018, to defray the costs of establishing, operating and maintaining a public transit system in the City of Royal Oak.

                                    Shall the proposal be adopted?

Sidewalk Millage Proposal

The cost of sidewalk repair and replacement is currently assessed to the adjacent property owner. If approved, this proposal would end this practice and authorize the city to levy a property tax of up to 0.75 mill per year to be used exclusively for sidewalk repair and replacement.

• Last year, the cost of sidewalk repair for individual property owners was $130.75 per “square” for four-inch thick concrete and $155.75 per “square” for six-inch thick concrete (needed where a driveway crosses the sidewalk).
• The city will continue to repair and replace sidewalk flags as necessary regardless of the funding source. Currently, sidewalks are repaired on a continuous six-year cycle of neighborhoods throughout the city.
• If approved, the millage will not cover the cost of entirely new sidewalks where no sidewalks currently exist. Those costs will continue to be assessed to the adjacent property owner.
• If approved, property owners who chose to spread a previous assessment over multiple years will still be required to complete those payments.
• If approved, the millage will extend for six years to coincide with the six-year replacement schedule throughout the neighborhoods. Any extension would require voter approval.
• Taxpayer’s cost will be up to 75 cents per thousand dollars of taxable value.  For example, if your taxable value is $85,577, which is the average taxable value in Royal Oak, your cost would be up to $65 per year if the city needed to levy the full amount.     Shall the proposal be adopted?

The exact wording of the sidewalk millage proposal as it will appear on the ballot is:

Charter Amendment - Sidewalk Millage

The proposed amendment to chapter 8, section 11 of the Royal Oak City Charter, if approved, would allow the city to levy a millage of up to 0.75 mills for a period of up to six (6) years beginning December 1, 2018, to defray the costs of maintaining, repairing and replacing public sidewalks in the City of Royal Oak.

                                    Shall the proposal be adopted?