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Bloomfield Township Millage
Renewal Could Save Lives
B

loomfield Township 
residents are about to 
vote on a critical mill-
age renewal that could mean 
the difference between life 
and death. 
In the past year, 
Bloomfield Township has 
cut approximately $4 mil-
lion out of its budget and 
is now looking at a mill-
age renewal. The proposal 
would allow the township 
to maintain its current high 
level of services for police 
and fire operations. The 
renewal is not a new tax, 
nor will it increase taxes for 
residents.
If the millage renewal 
fails, the township will have 
to outsource emergency 
medical services, which will 
more than double response 
times from the current 6 
minutes to more than 12 
minutes. That extra time 
could result in lost lives. 
If the millage fails, 
Bloomfield Township will 

also have to shutter two of 
its four fire stations and lose 
approximately one-third of 
its first responders, around 
20 police officers and 20 fire 
fighters.
Concerned that voters will 
falsely regard the millage as a 
tax increase and vote against 
it, many policemen and 
firemen are already looking 
for new jobs outside of the 
township. It’
s a contentious 
situation for Fire Chief Mike 
Morin.
“If this millage doesn’
t 
pass, I stand to lose around 
22 people. All because of 
misinformation,” he said. 
Opponents of the millage, 
led by lawyer Don Valente, 
say it’
s money that could 
be found elsewhere in the 
township budget, which they 
insist is loaded with waste. 
They add that Morin is try-
ing to scare people with his 
talk of losing first responders 
if the millage fails.
“People live in this com-

munity because they know 
they’
re safe and protected. 
Plus, Bloomfield Township 
is an aging community, and 
what we do allows our resi-
dents to age at home,” Morin 
said. “For many, we’
re like a 
second family. If this millage 
fails, the service we provide 
will not remain the same. 
For them or anybody else.”
Bloomfield Township res-
idents can vote to renew the 
millage, which will keep the 
tax rates the same and pub-
lic services strong. Or they 
can vote against the millage 
renewal, knowing it will 
result in a weakened police 
and fire department. 
Polls will be open in 
Bloomfield Township from 
7 a.m.-8 p.m. March 10. 
Absentee ballots are avail-
able now to those who can’
t 
make it to the polls. 

Stephanie Ruopp is a Metro Detroit 

freelance writer.

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8 | MARCH 5 • 2020 

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STEPHANIE RUOPP SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

I also do a weekly spiritual support 
group in the inpatient psychiatric 
unit. During my studies, I learned 
how important stories are in inspira-
tion. I decided to take Jewish stories 
of inspiration and “non-Judaize” them 
so I can use them for all patients. 

For example, I start with a story 
about a poor person named David, 
son of Ezekiel. He had a recurring 
dream that if he traveled to the king’
s 
bridge and looked underneath it, 
he would find treasure. At first he 
just dismissed the dream as wish-
ful thinking; then he decided that 
maybe the dream was a sign, so he 
traveled to the king’
s bridge, which 
was well-guarded. After the third day 
of him trying to find a way to look 
under the bridge, the captain of the 
guards asked him what he wanted. He 
told the captain, who then told him 
about his own dream, of finding the 
house of some person called David, 
son of Ezekiel, and looking under his 
stove where he would find a treasure. 
Upon hearing this, David turned 
around, went home, looked under his 
stove and found a treasure. 
The moral is 
we often look for trea-
sure from outside sources; however, 
we first need to look and find the 
treasure within ourselves. 
I help patients realize their self-
worth by telling them that the world 
is not complete without them. I also 

KINDNESS continued from page 5

continued on page 10

