Brighton City Council Considers Two Bond Issue Proposals

City Council members are considering not one, but two bond issue proposals to put before voters during the general election this November.

City Manager Dana Foster split the bond issue into two separate proposals: the first for $5 million for core infrastructure projects and the second for $1.5 million for quality of life projects for a total amount of $6.5 million if voters were to approve both proposals.

The core infrastructure proposal includes $3 million for residential curb and gutter improvements, $1 million for a neighborhood infrastructure partnership, $800,000 for residential street reconstruction, $124,000 for a Brighton Lake Road sidewalk, $50,000 for seven police patrol care video system replacements and $26,000 for sidewalk repairs.

The quality of life proposal includes $720,000 for a Grand River pedestrian bridge, $490,000 for sidewalk gap installation, $200,000 for camera monitoring system upgrades, $40,000 for street right-of-way tree plantings (150 trees), $20,000 for Village Cemetery monument restorations and $30,000 for city cemeteries pavement overlays.

All estimates were made in-house by the city's Department of Public Services and are based on current market prices.

The city's current 1996 street bond issue millage is set to expire this year. Currently, the city's millage rate is at 1.18 mills. If both bond proposals were approved for a total of $6.5 million, the millage rate would increase by .32 mills to a rate of about 1.5 mills.

That would mean an increase on the debt service portion of a city property tax bill of $16 per year for residential customers, $120 per year for commercial customers and $80 per year for industrial customers.

If just the 1.5 million proposal passed, the average millage rate would decrease to .37 mills. Property tax bills would decrease by $58 per year for residential, $439 per year for commercial and $295 per year for industrial customers.

If the 5 million proposal passed, the average millage rate would be reduced to 1.14 mills. The projected tax bill would decrease by $8 per year for residential, $58per year for commercial and $39 per year for industrial customers.

Foster said these figures were based on the assumption that taxable values would continue to decline and that the personal property tax would be completely eliminated.

"If we continue to defer and put off this work, the costs are going to grow," Foster said. "In other words, to do this same list in the future, I won't be able to do it for that amount of money."

Both Mayor Jim Muzzin and City Council Member Jim Bohn said they did not agree with the $1.5 million bond proposal for quality of life projects. Muzzin said specifically, it was the $720,000 pedestrian bridge over Grand River wich was originally part of the new , which has not yet been approved by City Council.

"I'd rather take that $720,000 and maybe put it towards something else," Muzzin said. "I cannot support that proposal with a Grand River pedestrian bridge. If it was 10 years ago and we had the cashflow we did 10 years ago, I might be able to support it. I have no problem with the concept of a second bond proposal, we just have to identify the projects."

The city will send out a survey on the next city utility bill asking residents to partake in a four question online survey asking if they would be in support for these proposals.

The city's bond counsel will also be present at the next city council meeting to answer questions and provide feedback.