Resolution of Proposal B

Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor has long been identified as desirable place to live, work and visit in part because of the presence of parks, open space and natural habitats, watercourses and farmland in and around the Ann Arbor community;

Whereas, The City Council has identified the need to aggressively maintain the environmental quality of life in the Ann Arbor community by identifying, acquiring, maintaining parkland, natural habitats and open space and farmland as the peoples voice for public health and welfare;

Whereas, The City Council has identified the need to preserve and protect the City’s sourcewaters as an integral part of maintaining a quality water supply and the public health and safety of the Ann Arbor community;

Whereas, The City Council has determined that the establishment of an Open Space and Sourcewater Protection Program which would allow for the acquisition of land for parks and the acquisition and management of land and land rights for the preservation and protection of natural habitats and open spaces, farmland, and sourcewaters in and around the Ann Arbor community through taxes pledged to the Program will aggressively sustain the environmental quality of life for Ann Arbor residents.

RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council proposes that the City Charter be amended by amending Section 8.23 to read as follows: Funds for Acquisition and Management of Land and Land Rights Section 8.23. In addition to any other amount which the City is authorized to raise by general tax upon the real and personal property situated in the City, by this Charter or any other provision of law, the City shall, in 2004 through 2034, annually levy a tax of one-half mill on all taxable real and personal property situated within the City for the purpose of funding the acquisition of land for parks and the acquisition and management of land and land rights in undeveloped and developed land both within and outside the City of Ann Arbor for the purpose of preserving and protecting open space, natural habitats and the City’s sourcewaters.

RESOLVED, That November 4, 2003, is designated as the day for holding an election on the proposed Charter amendment;

RESOLVED, That the City Clerk transmit a copy of the proposed amendment to the Attorney General and the Governor of Michigan and perform all other acts required by the law for holding an election;

RESOLVED, That the proposed Charter amendment shall appear on the ballot in the following form, together with the following statement of purpose:

ANN ARBOR CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT PROPOSAL
Shall Section 8.23 of the City Charter be amended to authorize a one-half mill tax for 30 years, to replace the existing Land Acquisition Millage of .5 mill that expires in 2004, which will raise in the first year of the levy the estimated revenue of $1,917,500, to provide funds for preservation and protection of parkland, open space, natural habitats and City sourcewaters by the acquisition and management of land and land rights both within and outside the City of Ann Arbor?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

RESOLVED, That the proposed Charter amendment and proposed ballot question, along with the statement of purpose, shall be published in full not fewer than two times in the Ann Arbor News; and

RESOLVED, That if the amendment is adopted, it shall take effect on January 1, 2004.
Presented to Council by Mayor Hieftje and Council members Johnson, Higgins, Woods, Carlberg, Easthope, Herrell and Lowenstein

Date: August 18, 2003