Eaton County commissioners send 2-mill public safety question to May 6, 2025 ballot

Eaton County commissioners voted 13–1 on Dec. 18 to place a proposed 2‑mill, 10‑year public safety millage on the May 6, 2025 ballot.

The ballot language asks voters whether to increase the county property tax rate by up to 2 mills (about $2 for every $1,000 of taxable value) for 10 years (2025–2034) “for the purposes of maintaining and enhancing public safety functions” including sheriff’s road patrol, staffing and resources for the prosecuting attorney’s office, and animal control. The resolution estimated first‑year revenue at approximately $10,058,494.

Board chair Mott said the question responds to recent public feedback after a separate tax‑limitation proposal failed and the county’s near‑term public‑safety staffing needs. “When the tax limitation millage failed, I went around to a lot of you and got your thoughts on the possibility of a public safety, dedicated public safety millage,” he said. The board then heard remarks from commissioners across the county who either supported or opposed placing the question on the ballot.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the sheriff’s office and the prosecutor’s office are understaffed and that a dedicated millage would be a targeted funding source for road patrol and related public‑safety functions. Supporters said delays would worsen staffing shortfalls; opponents said the question may be premature and might not raise enough revenue to address countywide needs.

Discussion highlights - Commissioner Blake Mulder, who introduced the resolution, argued that the previous tax‑limitation question failed in part because of statutory language the public found confusing and that a straightforward, dedicated public‑safety proposal could perform better at the ballot. “If the next board doesn’t wanna do this millage, they can rescind it,” Mulder said, urging colleagues to give voters a clearer choice. - Commissioner Barnes outlined the stakes for public safety, asking rhetorically, “What happens when you have no public safety?” and warning of potential increases in crime, reduced emergency response and broader economic impacts if staffing is not restored. - Commissioner Joe Brailer and others voiced concern about timing and turnout; Brailer said placing the question on the May ballot risks low turnout and cautioned that the measure may not solve all of the county’s long‑term structural fiscal problems. - Several commissioners, including Toomey, DiRocia and Mudry, said they supported the measure as an immediate step while acknowledging it would not be a permanent fix for all county budget challenges.

Public comment and next steps Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd, speaking during public comment and later addressing the board, urged timely coordination: “Let’s get the questions answered. Let’s come up with the decisions we need to make,” he said, noting that absentee ballots are distributed in March and asking the board and county staff to prepare outreach and answers to voter questions.

The board certified the language and directed the county clerk to place the question on the May 6, 2025 ballot. The roll call vote recorded 13 yes, 1 no (Commissioner Pearl Wright), and the resolution cited Article IX, Section 6 of the 1963 Michigan Constitution as the authority for placing the proposal before voters.

What remains unresolved: Several commissioners said the county still needs to explain to voters what services will be reduced without the millage, what the shortfalls are compared with prior proposals, and how the proposed 2 mills would be prioritized among sheriff patrol, prosecution and animal control. The board did not adopt additional, binding service‑level guarantees in the resolution; such implementation detail, several members said, will need work if voters approve the measure.

Evidence from the meeting: The discussion began when the board’s Ways and Means chair introduced a resolution to place a countywide public‑safety millage on the ballot; the board finished with a roll‑call vote certifying the question for May 6, 2025.