Opposed to senior meal millage

To the Editor:

I am writing to voice my opposition to the proposed senior meal millage being requested by Copper Shores. While supporting our seniors is an important priority, it’s difficult to justify this new tax when Copper Shores already has $80 million in reserves, was recently awarded $21 million form the Michigan Attorney General, and routinely benefits from various federal, state, and private grants to support its senior meal and other community programs.

These are substantial resources that far exceed what most local nonprofits could even dream of. In addition, the organization currently operates out of a facility that was donated for $1 by UP Health System – Portage, further reducing their operating costs. With this level of funding and support already in place, why is there a need to levy an additional burden on taxpayers, many of whom are struggling with rising costs themselves?

Before asking for more from the public, Copper Shores should be transparent about how its existing funds are being allocated and why they are insufficient. Until then, I encourage voters to vote no on the millage and ask the organization to prioritize the efficient use of its considerable resources.

Georgie Jones,

Kenton,

Vote no on Canal View renewal

To the Editor:

I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed renewal of the Canal View Houghton County nursing home millage.

While the intention of this tax was to support local long-term care for our residents, the reality today tells a much different story. Canal View currently has over 70 open beds- beds that could be serving members of our community – but there is no clear or public plan in place to reopen or staff them. Meanwhile, families are being forced to send their loved ones out of the country due to lack of available beds here at home.

Adding to this concern is the fact that Canal View has millions of dollars in reserves, yet taxpayers are being asked to continue funding corporations that do not meet the current needs of our community. What has the leadership done with this funding? Where is the strategic plan to address the staffing challenges or bed closures? So far, there has been little to no accountability or transparency.

Houghton County residents deserve real solutions – not another tax renewal with vague promises. Until Canal View presents a responsible, actionable plan to reopen beds and meet the long-term care needs of our country, I urge voters to say no to this millage.

Paul Jones

Kenton

Vote No on Jail Tax Mileage, Sell County Assets to Fund Jail

Editor:

For over 20 years, our county has known that a new jail would be needed. And yet, despite two decades of warning signs, county leadership has failed to set aside a single dollar of capital funding for its construction. Instead, they’ve repeatedly kicked the can down the road-bringing the issue to the ballot box again and again, only to be rejected by voters each time.

Now, once more, the public is being asked to raise their own taxes to pay for a problem the county has done little to proactively address. Enough is enough.

Rather than placing the burden on taxpayers, the county must take responsibility and look to the resources it already owns. There are viable funding alternatives that have been ignored for too long. The county currently owns significant assets that could be sold or repurposed to generate revenue for a jail project:

�–� A transfer station that could be privatized or leased;

�–� Unused county land with potential value for development;

�–� A county marina that does not serve core government functions;

�–� A 197-bed nursing home that is operating at only 60% occupancy, requiring substantial subsidies, tax millage and competing with private sector options.

These are not essential services that justify tax increases. They are assets-some underused, some outside the county’s core mission-that should be leveraged before demanding more from residents.

This isn’t about whether a new jail is needed – it’s about how we choose to pay for it. Voters have said “no” multiple times to tax millages because they understand that the government must live within its means and manage its resources wisely. The repeated failure to plan ahead, earmark funds, or consider asset sales is not the fault of the voters-it’s the fault of the county leadership.

A “no” vote on this jail millage is not a vote against law enforcement or public safety. It’s a vote for responsible governance. It’s a demand that before taxpayers are asked to foot the bill, the county must exhaust all internal options first.

Let’s fix this problem the right way. Vote NO on the jail tax millage.

Sincerely,

Fran Johnston-White

Houghton