School millage supporters hit the streets to spread the word

Hamtramck Public Schools Superintendent Tom Niczay recently talked with voters at the Hamtramck Senior Plaza about the upcoming millage renewal election on Aug. 4.

Hamtramck Public Schools Superintendent Tom Niczay recently talked with voters at the Hamtramck Senior Plaza about the upcoming millage renewal election on Aug. 4.

 

 

By Charles Sercombe
The campaign for the public schools’ millage renewal has stepped up in recent weeks.
Supporters of the millage renewal have been going door-to-door for the past month a few days out of each week.
Evan Major, a member of the Hamtramck School Board and a member of a campaign committee created to support the millage, said the feedback he’s been getting from voters has been supportive.
“It’s been overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “People by and large understand the important role the school district plays.”
On a recent Saturday, supporters of the millage held a voter registration drive at Public Pool, an art gallery on Caniff near Gallagher. Steve Hughes, who organized the event, said about a dozen new voters registered.
While that may seem small, Hughes said it was also about “increasing awareness.”
Plus there were free hamburgers, hotdogs and pro-millage message bearing T-shirts for those who registered.
The district is seeking the renewal of 18 mills that produce $1.8 million a year. The tax millage has been in place for 20 years. The millage proposal will be on the Aug. 4 ballot.
Despite that, voters rejected the renewal in a special election last February. Schools Superintendent Tom Niczay blamed that defeat largely on an anonymous flier that appeared to be targeted to the Bangladeshi community.
The flier erroneously said taxpayers would receive a $500 a year break in property taxes by defeating it.
That claim enraged supporters who pointed out that the only people who pay the tax are those who own rental dwellings or commercial buildings.
The flier also violated state election law because it did not identify who paid for it.
A complaint was filed with the Secretary of State Office, but so far there has been no further development in the matter.
Niczay is still upset about that stealth campaign. In a meeting with seniors last Friday at the Hamtramck Senior Plaza he lashed out at those behind the flier, calling them liars.
“But people bought it,” he added.
Niczay also dropped a bomb on Friday, saying the city assessor told him that a significant commercial property owner in town, Garfield Investment Co., received a huge property value decrease on seven of its buildings on Jos. Campau.
The buildings, located on the east side of Jos. Campau from Caniff to Belmont, had a collective value of $1.5 million. The State Tax Tribunal, which decides on property assessment issues, agreed to lower that to a little less than $500,000.
Niczay said that decision is “outrageous.”
“It’s going to ruin the city,” he told the gathering of seniors. “They are trying to rip off the City of Hamtramck and line their pockets.”
Niczay said the school district will partner with the city to hire an independent assessor to challenge the decrease.
It was not immediately clear how much in savings Garfield would realize if it is successful in receiving a reduction in property values.
Garfield Investment has no known telephone number or email. It is owned by Inez Garfield who lives in Farmington Hills, which is also where Garfield Investment is located.
The last time Garfield came to the attention of the city was in 2010 when the city council was considering a proposed marijuana dispensary ordinance and where to allow them to operate.
Inez Garfield attended a council meeting and urged the council to allow dispensaries to operate on Jos. Campau, where she owns several commercial buildings.
“I don’t see how the city cannot let this pass,” Garfield said.

2 Responses to School millage supporters hit the streets to spread the word

  1. Joe Wrobel

    July 7, 2015 at 5:16 pm

    It’s basic economics, strong public schools = strong property values. Hamtramck Schools are requesting a millage renewal, not an increase. Looking at the economic value provided by HPS, Hamtramck citizens are receiving a lot of bang for their buck. The extra programs provided by HPS, that benefit all citizens, should be enough to merit a “yes” vote. The District Champion HHS Baseball team, and the up and coming HHS Cosmo’s Football program, are cause for excitement. Let’s keep the momentum going and renew the HPS millage!

  2. Resident

    July 9, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    This resident is voting YES.

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