The Hills Herald
City of Rochester Hills Municipal Offi ces
Fall/Winter 2008
lot. Creative? Yes! Optimistic?
been affected by the region’s downturn. Our
Absolutely!
revenues are projected to decrease – taxable value,
A message from our Mayor
To be sure, this economic mess
ACT 51 (gas
is serious business. Like many
tax), and State
"I feel it is
of you, I have been personally
Shared Revenues
affected. I have a family member
are all forecasted
important as the
who had to close a business in
to decline in the
town, a brother looking for work
coming years.
CEO to report
and a sister who had to move
Like many
to Tennessee for, of all things,
businesses, we
to you, our
an automotive job. I’m certain
have rising costs
many families in our city share a
like fuel, health
shareholders/
similar experience.
care, and the cost
Since I became Mayor in 2006,
of construction.
residents, what we
my goal has been to run city hall
Faced with the
like a medium size, private sector
business world’s
have been doing
business. I feel it is important as
version of the
the CEO to report to you, our
perfect storm,
to secure our
shareholders/residents, what
here’s an insider’s
we have been doing to secure
look at how we
fi nancial viability
our fi nancial viability while
have reacted and
continuing to meet our resident’s
where we are
while continuing to
expectations.
headed.
Bryan K. Barnett, Mayor
Many of you have investment portfolios (albeit
meet our resident's
smaller) you follow regularly. For most, however,
Our Business
your largest investment (your home) is with us.
expectations"
Plan
Each of you is uniquely vested in our success and,
therefore, has an ownership interest in this business
venture.
• Perhaps most importantly, we decided
OPTIMISM!
against raising the price of our product. I
Our Economic Cards
proposed, and council passed (4-3), a budget,
Optimism is not a word you are reading too much
which kept our city’s tax rate the same for the
about these days. With our nation’s economic
So let’s start with the bad news. We have certainly
tenth year in a row.
struggles, the volatility of the stock market and the
Continued on page 2
plight of the auto industry, pessimism is as catchy as a
An Informational Publication of the
cold on the Hamlin Elementary School playground.
City of Rochester Hills
PRSRT STD
Yes, optimism in these times is certainly a challenge
US Postage
1000 Rochester Hills Drive
for the creative. For example, as a Detroit Lion and
PAID
Rochester Hills, MI 48309 Permit 136
University of Michigan football fan, I could be very
Rochester, MI 48307
disgruntled and pessimistic about their respective
seasons thus far. Rather, I’ve learned I can see better
ROCHESTER HILLS
quality football at the corner of Adams and Tienken
POSTAL PATRON
every Friday night. I save on gas, the concessions
ROCHESTER HILLS MI
are cheaper, and Highlander fans are a much nicer
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