Village taxes reduced
Some Dundee Village residents think that with all the growth and development in the village lately, their taxes are going to go up. But that’s not true.

Dundee Village Council approved its 2004-2005 budget at a special meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 25, and actually lowered the property tax millage rate by two full mills.

\The taxes went from 14.95 mills for general operations to 12.95 mills. The lowered tax rate will be reflected on this summer’s tax bills, said Village Manager Patrick Burtch.

The village is able to lower the property tax millage rate, and not reduce any services, he said. The street fund was not reduced, and

The taxable evaluation is estimated at $125 million for 2004; with the state equalized valuation (SEV) placed at more than $180 million. The SEV is higher, because with the passage of Proposal A, there is a cap on increases in taxable valuation.

Mr. Burtch said the Village of Dundee is the only taxing unit he knows that has ever lowered taxes, and the Village has done so repeatedly over the years.

\The peak general operating millage rate was 19.98 mills in 1993 and 1994, and has gone down since then, with a couple of minor spikes. The big cut came in 1996, when the millage rate was reduced from 19.40 to 16.15.

With increased revenue, the village is able to plan purchases for the DPW, such as a new dump truck, and street lighting, and more trees. While the village does not plan to add any employees now, it has increased the work that is contracted out, such as lawn work.

\The village has about 2,500 homes on the drawing board right now, in about eight new subdivisions. That would about double the number of homes now in the village.

“At the rate we’re going, with 100 new houses in the last two years, it would take 50 to 60 years to build out these subdivisions,” said Mr. Burtch. “The best case scenario would be 25 years.”
Mr. Burtch said the Village Council continues to add new land to the Village, because Council believes property owners have the right to request that.

He added, “The market will drive how fast this town develops.”

The village manager said there is more than an adequate water supply from the existing Monroe line to serve all the houses in the village now, and on the drawing board.

“We could triple that number of homes and still have enough water,” said Mr. Burtch.

Concerns about traffic are widespread, and Mr. Burtch said the Council is concerned, especially about the Ann Arbor Road intersection at M-50. He said the village would ask Holcim to take the Cone Road exit with its gravel train trucks, that can back up the Ann Arbor Road intersection.