Detroit News Editorial - Monday, March 31, 2008
Nolan Finley, Editorial Page Editor

Macomb County Executive Won't Mean Higher Taxes

Macomb County voters ought to base their decision on creating a special commission to draft a county charter, which could include the new post of county executive, on the issue's merits -- not on fears of a possible tax hike somehow being hidden in the proposal.

If a charter commission is created, county residents would not get any tax hike unless they specifically approve it.

The issue of creating a commission to draft a county home rule charter will be on the May ballot.

If the commission proposal is adopted, voters will next have to approve a slate of charter commissioners to draft the charter, and then would have to adopt the charter itself. And even if a proposed charter with a higher county government millage limit is approved, voters would still have to separately approve any new tax hike.

That's a lot of chances to instruct candidates and charter commissioners against a tax hike and, if those instructions are ignored, still reject any tax increase itself.

The county's current tax allocation is 4.56 mills, and it only levies 4.2 mills -- one of the lowest in the state. Creation of a county charter would allow for a new county tax ceiling of up to 10 mills. But that higher tax ceiling is not required. Given Macomb County's aversion to high taxes, charter commissioners who wanted to see their handiwork approved by the voters would have no incentive to build in a possible tax hike.

Macomb County needs a county executive both to make the county leader more visible to Macomb County residents and others in the region and to have someone directly accountable for making county government work for residents by having it be more coordinated and efficient.

A new county charter could create such a job and significantly reduce the number of county commissioners so the commission is not so unwieldy. It currently has 26 commissioners.

Adoption of a charter would also allow voters to further streamline county government through a subsequent charter amendment to make the executive, rather than an appointed three-member road commission, responsible for county roads.

A coalition including the Macomb Chamber of Commerce and organized labor groups backed the petition placing a charter commission issue on the county ballot.

There is another way to create a county executive style of government, but county executive supporters have chosen to seek a home rule charter.

If voters don't like the handiwork of the charter commission, they can always reject any proposed charter.

It is true that Macomb County is balancing its budget with reserves, but a county executive type of government need not be more expensive than the current government and could be more efficient.

But voters won't find out if they don't at least approve the idea of drafting a new charter.