Emerald Ash Borer
Emerald Ash Borer Millage
City of Ann Arbor
Official Policy
October 2005
The Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce does not support the City of Ann Arbor Emerald Ash Borer millage before voters on November 8th, 2005. General fund reserves and the $1.6 million budget surplus generated during fiscal year 2004-2005 should be used to address the Emerald Ash Borer infestation.
Background: The Emerald Ash Borer is an exotic wood-boring beetle discovered in southeast Michigan in the summer of 2002. The beetle, which only attacks ash trees, is capable of killing trees of all sizes, including trees that appear to be healthy; the beetle has killed over 6 million trees in southeast Michigan to date.
The infestation has now spread throughout Ann Arbor, where thousands of public and privately owned tress have already been lost and many thousands more are at risk and expected to be lost over the next three years. Currently, no trees in Ann Arbor have survived once infested by this insect.
The City of Ann Arbor has over 5,000 ash trees located in the City’s rights-of-way and 5,500 ash trees in the City parks that pose a threat to the public.
Specific Language: Appearing on the City of Ann Arbor’s November 8, 2005 Ballot will be the following Charter Amendment for a new 0.5 Mil, 2-Year Millage to address the impacts of the Emerald Ash Borer.
ANN ARBOR CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT AUTHORIZING A NEW TAX TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT OF THE EMERALD ASH BORER
Shall the Charter be amended to authorize a 0.50 mil tax for 2 years, starting in 2006, which will raise in the first year of the levy the estimated revenue of $2,141.000.00, for the purpose of financing removal and disposal by the City of dead and dying trees on City property and in City rights-of-way, municipal service charges, and interest costs?
YES NO
EAB Millage Funding: The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Millage will raise $2.1 million/year for two years, for a total of $4.2 million. Millage funds will be used to remove 5,000 dead and dying trees and stumps on the public right-of-ways (e.g., lawn extensions) and another 5,500 trees from the public parks (not including the parks designated as natural areas). This translates into an average of $400 to remove and chip each tree and stump.
Pros- Dead and dying ash trees are a safety hazard that needs to be addressed and there is evidence that waiting will make the removal project more expensive.
- The millage does not include funds to replant trees. City officials have had good success with securing funds and in-kind services to replant trees. The Ann Arbor Rotary, Downtown Development Authority and Michigan Department of Natural Resources have contributed over $200,000 so far to assist in restoring Ann Arbor’s trees
- The City made multiple attempts to obtain state and federal funding for the removal prior to considering a millage
- The dedication of resources to remove and dispose of dead and dying ash trees to date has limited the City’s ability to expend resources to remove and dispose of other species of dead and dying trees on City property and in the City’s rights-of-way.
Cons
- In the past, city millages initially approved as temporary or one-time have subsequently been sold as “renewals”. We believe there is a risk this special purpose, one-time millage could also become permanent.
- Included in the tree removal fund is $32,000 to cover the City’s additional costs to manage the multiple private forestry service contracts and to provide accountability for the effort, such as to track the proper disposal of the wood.
- To mitigate the incremental burden on City taxpayers, the City could have used the $1.6 million in General Fund surplus it generated during fiscal year 2004-2005 and $500,000 of its General Fund balance to fund the $2.1 million in expenditures required for the first year.
