Tuesday, March 11, was Township Tuesday. This is a very important day for township residents, because they get to directly participate in their local government. Many townships hold their elections that day, but all of them are required to hold a very special meeting to approve the tax levy. 

During this meeting, residents of the township gather and elect a moderator, guides the meeting along, with some assistance from the town clerk. The gathered residents get to hear about the township’s updates over the past year, goals the township has for the upcoming years, and the budget. At the end of the meeting, the township treasurer presents a proposed tax levy. And the magical part? The residents get to vote directly on that proposal. 

If you live in a city, county, state, or nation, you usually have to elect representatives to approve a tax levy for you. This can be a little frustrating, because residents have no direct control over how much they will have to pay in property taxes. They can vote for the candidate they think will do the best job, but their control ends there. 

In townships, however, the town board is only there to perform the duties of running the township. They maintain the roads, manage township funds, maintain the roads, help residents manage their properties, maintain the roads, act as an intermediary between the township and other municipalities such as the county, and, most importantly, maintain the roads. 

So, on Township Tuesday, the board gets no say over the tax levy, other than their personal votes as private residents. The levy is decided upon directly by the township residents. This gives residents the opportunity to keep their taxes low if they so choose. Or, they may choose to increase taxes to fund projects that are important to them. The important part is they have a say in the matter. This is why I, when my husband and I finally save up to build our dream home, want to live in a township someday.

If you are a township resident and you missed out on Township Tuesday, don’t worry. You can still get involved in your government. You can speak at open forum, get involved in community organizations, and attend the regular board meetings. And you can always attend Township Tuesday next year!