Voters in the town of Grand Rapids turned down a tax referendum on Nov. 3 by a wide margin. The proposal to go $300,000 above the state-imposed levy limit failed 2,654 to 1,350, with about 66 percent of voters on the question voting no.
Town officials held informational meetings in October ahead of the vote. Board Chairman Jeff Kuhn told residents then that state law caps the town's 2027 levy at about $1.8 million, and that officials had concluded another $300,000 was needed to maintain the town's current level of services.
Kuhn said in October that a failed referendum could mean cutting a police officer, the town's largest expense area. The Grand Rapids Police Department has seven members, including Chief Joe Zurfluh. Reduced road maintenance was also raised as a possibility during the public hearings.
Zurfluh said on Nov. 4 that he did not yet know what changes the board might consider, but that he could make the case for keeping current staffing, and that the department remains committed to full service regardless of the outcome.
Kuhn said on Nov. 4 that no decisions had been made on balancing the budget. The Town Board was scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Grand Rapids Municipal Building, 2410 48th St. S., with a closed session on employee responsibilities, pay and benefits, followed by discussion and possible action on loan options.
