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Troy Michigan
"Preserving the Light for Future Generations"
Supporting the Troy Museum & Historic Village
Use this link to go to the Troy Museum & Historic Village website.
Use this link to go to information about
Troy Museum & Historic Village Winter and Spring 2010 Events
as listed in the City of Troy Troy Today newsletter.
Important news about the future of the Troy Museum & Historic Village
The City Council has directed the City administration to prepare ballot language for a 1.9 mill city tax rate increase expiring in five years to appear on a special election ballot on February 23, 2010. A city tax rate increase is not necessarily an increase in city tax or total tax actually paid. Because of falling property vlaues in Troy, we believe that total residential propery taxes in Troy will be lower in 2010 than they were in 2009, even with a city tax rate increase. This is explained in more detail below.
We as Troy Historical Society members must continue to (1) educate ourselves about the City's fiscal issues, and (2) let our Mayor, our City Council members, and our friends and neighbors know how important our Museum - a full-time Museum - and its staff are to the quality of life in Troy.
Town Hall Meetings to Answer Questions
The City of Troy management staff will present a series of Town Hall Meetings to address any questions related to the upcoming Special Election on February 23 asking for a 1.9 mill increase. Citizens are welcome to attend one or all of the open forums. For more information, please call 248.524.1147. Background information on the millage proposal, including the impact on residential tax bills, can be found at www.troymi.gov/2010Proposal.
Tuesday, January 26 at 1 pm - Big Beaver United Methodist Church, 3753 John R (between Big Beaver & Wattles)
Wednesday, February 3 at 7 pm - Fellowship United Methodist Church, 4050 Coolidge Hwy (just north of Wattles Road)
Thursday, February 11 at 7pm - St. Anastasia Activities Center, 4571 John R (between Wattles & Long Lake)
Tuesday, February 16 at 7 pm - Central Woodward Christian Church, 3955 W. Big Beaver (just east of Adams)
The Special Election seeks voter input on whether or not to authorize the Troy City Council the ability to levy up to 1.9 mills against all taxable property for a five-year period of time, 2010 through 2014, for general operating purposes.
The Special Election was called by the Troy City Council because the City of Troy is facing a significant decline in its revenue stream every year for the next several years, primarily due to market conditions lowering property assessments and State Shared Revenue cuts. City Council’s ability to increase the millage rate within the Charter allowable maximum rate was removed in the November 2008 general election by a voter-approved amendment that states Troy electors must first provide an affirmative vote. The timing restriction of the City Budget adoption process necessitates a special election; waiting until the August Primary or the November General Election to place the millage question on the ballot will be too late.
What will be the impact of the new 1.9 mills on Troy's homeowners?
Remember that millage is a tax rate, not tax dollars. The millage rate is multiplied by a home's taxable value to produce tax dollars. Troy's City Assessor and Oakland County are projecting that the taxable value of an average Troy home in the Troy School District, which is $120,014 this year (2009), will drop every year for the next five years, to a taxable value of $103,000 in the year 2010, then all the way to a projected $77,816 in the year 2014.
In 2009, the total tax dollars from that $120,014 average Troy home in the Troy School District are $4,118.
In 2010, its total tax dollars will be $3,535 without the new 1.9 millage rate, or $3,731 with the new 1.9 mills. In other words, even with the increased millage rate, the tax bill in 2010 for that home in dollars will be $387 less than its tax bill was in 2009.
In the year 2014, the tax bill for that home is projected to be $1,300 less than it was in 2009, assuming no increase in school, county, etc. millages.
The purpose of the 1.9 mills to be voted on in February is to restore general operating fund taxes that will otherwise be lost to Troy because of declining property values, not to increase our total tax bills. It should also help our Troy property values from declining further, by keeping Troy a "best place to live", with its safest city and cultural amenities, in relation to neighboring communities.
Let's do what it takes to save Troy and our Museum as we know them, for our children and grandchildren as well as for ourselves. We are the beneficiaries of a great bargain in City of Troy taxes. Let's not lose our competitive advantage.
Please read the current issue of The Village Press for additional information.
You can support the TROY MUSEUM & HISTORIC VILLAGE with a contribution to the Troy Historical Society's Heritage Campaign at No Extra Cost to You!
If you shop online with many major retailers, you can have a portion of your purchase directed to the museum when you shop online through ShopforMuseums.com.
- Go to the ShopforMuseums.com web site to begin your shopping.
- You may shop anonymously or register with your own email.
- Choose TROY MUSEUM & HISTORIC VILLAGE as your museum.
- Click on the link of the store you want to visit and shop as you usually do.
- A portion of your purchase automatically will be directed to the Heritage Campaign.
Troy's history comes alive!
Experience Troy history through 226 images
and historical notes tracing Troy
from pioneer days through today.
The Troy Historical Society
in cooperation with the Troy Museum staff
present:
Troy: A City from the Corners
You will enjoy this delightful and informative pictorial history.
Support the Museum
Proceeds from the sale of this book
support the development and programs of the
Troy Museum & Historic Village.
Books can be purchased at the
Museum Gift Shop
open Monday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
OR
by mail
Click Here for mail order information.
60 West Wattles Road
Monday - Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Closed Sunday
For information call 248-524-3570