Spending by local agencies and municipalities on Chautauqua Lake efforts
The Chautauqua Lake Protection and Rehabilitation Agency is expected to make a recommendation on a new taxing district and tax fund to address lake issues at its meeting Thursday.
Freshwater Future of Michigan, whose mission is to be a “catalyst for community action that strengthens policies designed to safeguard the waters of the Great Lakes region,” put out a press release on the expected action by the CLPRA at the agency’s meeting on Thursday, January 19.
According to Freshwater Future, the proposed Chautauqua Lake tax district would tax property owners throughout the watershed even though a survey for resident input on this new tax was only sent to lakefront and lakefront access property owners. They criticized the processs, saying there is no clear long-term plan for how to use the proposed new tax revenue to return the lake to health.
At the last public meeting held by the CLPRA, consultants from Barton and LoGuidice went over three lake funding options that included a tiered flat fee, equivalent residential units, and a formula based fee. Other funding options could also include a near-lake district tax, a watershed/drainage district tax, a user impact fee and a boat user fee.
After a funding mechanism is selected, a fourth public information meeting will be held in February 2023 to present the findings.
The CLPRA’s meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m., Thursday, January 19 in the Legislative Chambers of the Gerace Office Building in Mayville. It is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the County’s YouTube page.
So when were they going to notify residents of the impending tax increase and affect on individual households!
This is an underhanded procedure to push a new entity on the public. I have seen no local public notice! This will be duplicate government ie. Public sewer being added 2022 and 2023 along the west side of Chautauqua lake – Route 394 on both lake side and west side of Rt 394 that will subsequently affect the water cleanup of Chautauqua lake. What else are the individual towns doing on their shorelines? A collection of what we are already doing to protect the clean water of Chautauqua ie. Chautauqua Lake Association and others should be considered. Not just create a new government entity with a tax! The CLPRA are holding meetings and are progressing without real transparency- they do not know what to do and have no recommendations on where they will spend this tax money! I have ask and receive no response.
This will go to legislation and will soon be out of the public option to control.
It would be nice if they really had recommendations with budget attached! At this point they are trying to find money any way they can and they will take it to government legislation for law and we probably will not be able to vote in it.
I urge the residents to attend a new in Mayville , Thursday January 19,2023 in the legislative Chambers of the Grace Office Building! Utube livestream on the County’s You Tube page.
They will be selecting a funding option from you the public at this meeting!
This is ridiculous! As if lake property isn’t already being taxed to death! Lake property owners aren’t the only ones who use the lake. We have been told for years that a sewer system was going to be put in to alleviate septic system issues.., for YEARS! Perhaps if the sewer system went in years ago when other parts of the lake had a sewer system put in, the “lake cleanliness” wouldn’t be an issue. Now it’s finally coming to fruition (of course we will be paying another $1,000 on our tax bill for this), but apparently this isn’t enough to take from us. Now it seems they’re looking for a way to take even more money from the property owners without an answer as to how the money will be used? Enough is enough!