Emmet County's staff sought input as to how to best "utilize" the taxpayer money - $6,400,000 - that will be received from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
According to the County, ARPA funds must be obligated by December 31, 2024, and expended by December 21, 2026.
Emmet County has now posted the results of the survey on their website. At a glance: 1,273 responses were received from residents and business owners ... 29.46% of the responses came from the City of Petoskey, 16.89% were from Bear Creek Township, 7.59% from Harbor Springs, and 5.73% were from Resort Township. See the whole chart here.
Nearly 800 responders wanted the funds to go toward workforce housing (#1 choice), followed by childcare (597), and then followed by transit (559). More here.
A paltry 3.50% wanted the money to be returned to residents/lower taxes.
Based on these disheartening survey results, more reflective of Washtenaw County where the People's Republic of Ann Arbor is located, there's much work to be done to convince folks about the benefits of limited government. Or, in the future, more conservatives need to weigh in on these surveys and how they are calibrated.
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