City Income Tax MYTHS Read about the things the City DOESN'T want you to know about the City Income Tax.
More quotes Michigan's economy is in shambles, and taxing people is not the way to fix the problem...I for one will tell all my neighbors to oppose any plans of such a tax. --T.P.

Citizens unite in opposition to the Ypsilanti City Income Tax

(Ypsilanti, Michigan - February 22, 2007) Today, we announce the formation of the Stop City Income Tax Committee (SCIT) - a broad based community group organized to oppose the City Income Tax proposal in Ypsilanti. We believe that the City Income Tax is ill advised and would be bad for the City of Ypsilanti and bad for the residents and businesses of Ypsilanti.

The income tax would be an impediment to attracting residents and home buyers to Ypsilanti. It will discourage investment in our community. Michigan cities that have an income tax are not faring better than Ypsilanti. Those communities that already have a city income tax are facing the same problems including residents and business that relocate outside the community to avoid the city income tax.

According to the City of Ypsilanti income tax studies, the average Ypsilanti homeowner would see their taxes to the City of Ypsilanti increase by 30-35%. Household city taxes would increase to nearly one and a half times that of Ann Arbor as a percentage of household income.

Ypsilanti residents are experiencing all the bad effects of the Michigan economy - layoffs, stagnant wages, increased health care costs, pension cuts, cuts to education, and ever increasing energy and tax costs. The citizens of Ypsilanti have already endured a nearly five mil increase in city taxes in past five years as well as a near doubling of the City's water and sewer rates. The homeowners and renters of Ypsilanti cannot be expected to make up the loss of revenue from the expected closing of Visteon and the loss of other industrial taxpayers. The City Income Tax continues a troubling trend of residents and homeowners shouldering an ever-increasing tax burden when the City wants more revenue.

Even the advocates of the City Income Tax admit that it will not resolve the City's financial problems. The effects of Headlee and Proposal A, reductions in state shared revenue, the looming crisis of the Water Street project, and skyrocketing medical and pension costs are not resolved by the City Income Tax. Projections by the City Manager and Mayor forecast a budget deficit for the City even with an income tax. A City Income Tax will not restore already cut city services. Clearly the income tax is not the answer to our fiscal challenges.

We call on the City's elected officials to stop the threats of draconian cuts to our city services such as police and fire to justify the need for a City Income Tax. We need to go beyond the concept of "creating pain" for our residents to justify a City Income Tax, to one of alleviating the pain of our residents and working on their behalf. We call on the residents of Ypsilanti to make your voice heard and tell your elected officials that the City Income Tax will be bad for our community. We call on our neighbors to join us in opposing the City Income Tax.