Novi Voters Face Renewal of Capital Improvement Tax
Residents will vote Tuesday on a 1-mill levy that has funded park upgrades and fire apparatus since 2016.
By Rebecca Svoboda ·
Novi voters will decide Tuesday whether to continue funding the city's Capital Improvement Program.
The 1-mill levy, first approved in 2016, is scheduled to expire this year. The city is asking residents to renew it at the same rate, which costs homeowners approximately $100 per year for every $100,000 in taxable home value.
City Manager Victor Cardenas pointed to specific projects funded by the tax over the past decade. Those efforts include upgrades to Jessica's Splash Pad near Beck Road and West 11 Mile Road. The program also supported work at Bosco Fields and the ITC Trail, a path that links Novi with Northville, Westland, and Livonia.
"We have a very vibrant and very active community that uses those trails," Cardenas said. "So that's a lot of what people enjoy, and so much sports is being played at all of our parks."
Beyond outdoor spaces, the revenue has paid for repairs to sidewalks and boardwalks and investments in the community center. Cardenas noted that the fund allowed the Novi Fire Department to purchase a new apparatus. He observed that fire trucks cost between $700,000 and $800,000 when the millage was originally approved, but prices have since risen above $1 million with longer delivery times.
The city anticipates needing two or three additional fire trucks over the next decade. Cardenas also described plans to redevelop property acquired with the previous millage. The site, located just east of the existing park area, requires leveling and upgrades to bring its soccer fields to current standards.
Cardenas stated that the revenue is designated for capital items rather than personnel or salaries. "Hopefully we've shown how judicious we've been with the city's finances," he said. The question appears on the ballot for Election Day on Nov. 3.
