Township board right to make 'hard decisions'

To the Editor:

I would like to thank the Ironwood Township Board of Trustees for holding the line on spending and making hard decisions to hold our municipal operating millage at 4.2714. Fiscal responsibility sometimes means making hard and painful decisions.

Developing a budget that serves the majority of township residents is a huge task. Staying the course and not folding to special interests is a larger task. Recent adjustments to the city of Ironwood library contract is just one issue that exemplifies your resolve. The contract proposal reflects a $1 per resident contribution along with all penal fines. This is in line with the other township that is served by the Ironwood Carnegie Library. $1 per resident is not necessary.

I respect the fact that the Ironwood Township Board works hard to hold the line on the property tax millage and works even harder to prioritize its spending.

Strong leadership cannot be defined by the amount of money a municipality spends. Strong leaders show restraint and look for solutions. The tax and spend attitude of our local municipal leaders must be kept in check and the Ironwood Township leaders have shown restraint. I thank you for that.

One only needs to look to the city of Ironwood to see the exact opposite. The tax and spend attitude prevails in the city. Remember the 4.2714 millage rate of Ironwood Township? The city of Ironwood millage rate is 19.20, nearly five times higher than our township.

Minority special interest groups have convinced the city leaders to add several special millages of .9658 for the library, 6.50 for the police and fire pension fund, 2.0 for the memorial building renovation and 1.0 for the civic center.

In all, the total municipal millage in the city of Ironwood total 29.6658. Compare this to the total millage rate of 4.2714 in Ironwood Township and you will find that the city millage rate is nearly six times higher than the township. This runaway spending is a result of weak leadership that is unwilling to make hard decisions that lead to fiscal responsibility.

The township plan to show restraint and prioritize spending is working. Going forward, I am hoping that our township leaders go one step further. As more new homes and businesses are built in the township, please look toward cutting the millage rate even further. Low property taxes will encourage growth and further development in our community.

Rudy Grbavcich

Ironwood Township