Leelanau County Council May Reduce Child Services Tax

A controversial debate over the mileage of early childhood services at a special Leelan County Council meeting on Monday.

Leelanau County Board Chairman William J. Bunek recommends that the mileage tax rate be set at zero. This would nullify the mileage voted by voters in 2019. The mileage was to last five years. Board members for the proposed change say they are not trying to eliminate the program.

The Benzie-Leelanau District Health Service is able to provide a variety of services, free of charge to families, with the current mileage tax rate in place.

“What we do know is without a doubt that early childhood prevention and intervention services are essential protective factors. a county resident said at the meeting.

Some of the services include home visits, playgroups, and developmental assessments. It can also provide support to breastfeeding mothers or families with mental illness and addiction or children with challenging behaviors. It is aimed at families with children under the age of six.

Bunek says the proposed change is because he doesn’t see the need for funding because there was money left over from a late start due to the COVID pandemic.

“That’s the reason I introduced zero because I didn’t think we needed funding for next year at all,” Bunek says. “And we were looking next September, at the mileage rate, to see how much money was left after another year.”

During the meeting, BLDHD said COVID had prevented them from providing the number of services they initially hoped for last year.

“This past year we had big ambitions, but due to COVID we couldn’t do as much as we wanted and therefore the bills the board is receiving are not as much as we expected, so we are not asking not a dollar more than what we actually have. spend.”

Two hours have been set aside for public comment. The majority of residents are in favor of maintaining the mileage at the same rate of 0.25. A resident claims that the annual taxes on his property did not exceed $ 40.

Many people have argued that it was unethical to oppose the November 2019 vote which passed by 99 votes.

President Bunek recommends transferring the mileage from early childhood services to the full board of directors at Tuesday’s regular meeting. Leelanau County Council is expected to vote to put the mileage tax rate at zero.