That's a subjective factor that can't be included in an objective formula, but weighs heavily in communities such as the Pointes, Plymouth and the Bloomfields. Looking for solutions Some communities are debating whether to combine services with their neighbors as a way to increase government efficiency and give taxpayers a break. Milford and Milford Township, for example, already have combined their police and fire services. A committee is investigating whether the two governments should merge. It might eliminate some redundancies, but no one will go for it if their taxes go up.
Mergers are complicated, in part due to overlapping tax systems.
In Milford Village, for example, residents may get a great return for their village tax dollar. There are concerns about having two layers of government. Residents of some landlocked towns such as Franklin Village, Pleasant Ridge and Utica pay dearly for the right to live in their bedroom communities, which have little commercial tax base and no room for growth. Compared with communities in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, the cities of Lansing, Flint and Grand Rapids provide more services, and lower average tax bills. Revenue sharing accounts for about 38 percent of township budgets, compared to about 22 percent of city budgets.