NEWS

Park tax, land use on A2 ballot

Proposal would renew a tax for Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation.

By Haley Nagel
Contributor

Ann Arbor voters have three major proposals to consider on November 6th. Here’s what we can expect to see on the ballot:

Proposal A: Designate the library lot as an Urban Park.

Convert the City-owned public land bounded by Fifth Avenue, William, Division and liberty streets into an urban park and civic center commons.

Supporters of the proposal would like to see Ann Arbor stop the privatization of public land, and convert the library’s parking lot into a park.

Opponents push for the land to be sold to private companies to fund affordable housing in Ann Arbor with earnings from the sale. Private companies would presumably make use of the lot by building more infrastructure.

Proposal B: Amendment to Alter the Procedure for Filling a Vacancy in Elective Offices

If approved, this amendment will fill a vacancy by appointment that occurs with more than half of the term remaining until the next election, at which the rest of the term will be contested. The amendment was initiated due to a change in length of councilmembers from two to now four years made in 2016 by voters.

The proposal would act as a safeguard for having someone appointed to serve for more than two years without the vote of the people. Voters would have a timelier say on who represents them on council.

There is no current opposition on proposal B.

Proposal C: Parks Maintenance and Capital Improvements Tax.

A proposal to renew a tax for Ann Arbor parks and recreation. Voters will decide on a six-year, 1.1 mill tax renewal. Between 60-80 percent of the millage will be designated for city park maintenance, and the other 20-40 percent will be used for city park capital improvements. The millage will depend on the value each property.

For instance, a taxable value of $126,600 would be about $140 a year. The tax is estimated to raise over $6 million in the fiscal year of 2020.“In accordance with State law, a portion of the millage may be subject to capture by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority,” said Sue Smith, president of the Ann Arbor League of Women Voters.

The Ann Arbor League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed participation in government and works to educate the public. More information can be found at LWM.org.