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Village of Laurium: Becoming a City?

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The Village of Laurium has started the initial process of determining whether it should change its form of government and become the City of Laurium. Michigan’s Most Northern City! However, prior to continuing the process, the Village Council and its Administration want to hear from you. We hope that you, the Village Residents, will help us determine what is best for our community.

The BIG QUESTION that every Village Resident wants to know is - What does this mean for me as a resident and a current taxpayer of Laurium?

The major difference between being a City and a Village is that Village residents currently pay Calumet Township taxes. If the Village of Laurium becomes the City of Laurium, then Laurium residents would no longer pay Calumet Township’s approximate 1.28 mills of general operations tax and the 0.99 mills of Colosseum tax. Therefore, Laurium residents would save approximately 2.27 mills on their taxes annually by becoming the City of Laurium unless future millages are passed by the Laurium residents. Future millage request ideas can be seen in Question 3 below.

• A home with a taxable value of $75,000 would initially see a tax savings of approximately $170 annually by becoming the City of Laurium.

• A home with a taxable value of $50,000 would initially see a tax savings of approximately $115 annually by becoming the City of Laurium.

• A home with a taxable value of $25,000 would initially see a tax savings of approximately $57 annually by becoming the City of Laurium.

What else would you gain as a Village Resident and Taxpayer?

If the Village of Laurium residents support the proposed change, then the City of Laurium would no longer be part of Calumet Township. This would allow the Laurium Administration to better assist its own residents due to being in control of all the different facets of government. How this works:

• Taxes: If you currently pay $1,000 in taxes annually (i.e., $500 to Laurium and $500 to Calumet Township), you would now only pay your taxes only to the City of Laurium.

• Elections: Laurium would be responsible for registration and holding of elections.

• Assessments: The City of Laurium would now be responsible for all of the assessments and reassessments of properties throughout Laurium.

All other services including public works, sanitation, fire services, and police services would remain the same for the newly formed City of Laurium unless additional millages are approved by the residents of Laurium.

What is needed to move forward with becoming the City of Laurium?

1) A vote of the general public supporting the change to becoming a newly formed city instead of being a village, and

2) The election of a charter commission.

• Eleven members are needed for the Charter Commission; therefore, Laurium would need eleven residents to consider running for the Charter Commission to help in the creation of the newly formed City of Laurium.