Cultivated Resilience

Category: liberty-township

  • One-stop Index to Liberty Township Fire Levy Posts

    Readers of this post hopefully are familiar with the basics of the May 6 proposed fire levy in Liberty Township: For more detail, see the fire department’s information. When I began writing these posts, I knew my style of thinking wouldn’t resonate with everyone. Still, I’ve been encouraged by the attention and thoughtful responses many…

  • Fire, Rescue & EMS Are Insurance for Liberty Township

    All of my posts up to this point have focused on dollars and cents—revenues, expenses, and what it takes to fund emergency services in our township. But what are we actually paying for? When you dial 911—unless it’s a police matter—it’s our Fire, Rescue & EMS personnel who show up. And in an emergency, you…

  • Liberty Township Fire Levy Fund Balances: A Deep Dive into Financial Sustainability

    As Liberty Township voters prepare to decide on the proposed fire levy, the financial health of our fire and EMS department has become a key topic of discussion. In this post, I’m going to break down what the current financial outlook looks like, how different funding scenarios produce different projected fund balance results, and why…

  • What About That New Fire Station?

    A fair question I’ve heard is this:“The township just built a brand-new fire station. If they can afford that, why do they need a levy?” It’s a good question — and the new building is a visible sign that township officials are working to meet the community’s needs. But it’s also important to understand the…

  • Per Capita Revenue of Liberty Township: Comparison to Peer Departments

    When I introduced Liberty Township fire levy revenues in per capita terms, I asked a rhetorical question: “Is it a different cost to transport a person to the hospital from a home valued at $250 thousand than from a home valued at $1 million?” If the answer is “No,” then per capita comparisons give us…

  • Liberty Township Fire Levy Tax Revenue (Per Capita)

    As a “fixed rate” levy, the Liberty Township fire levy generates additional revenue from new development but not from increases to property values. This post shows how that levy income has remained relatively stable when measured per capita — that is, per resident of the township. This kind of pattern isn’t just a fiscal curiosity.…

  • Understanding Property Tax Revenue to Liberty Township

    This primer is for Liberty Township residents who want a clearer picture of how property taxes work — and how they impact township revenue. This understanding is essential for evaluating issues like the fire levy currently on the ballot. Key Points What Is Millage? Property tax is expressed in mills — where 1 mill =…