By: Taylor Christensen | Royal Oak Review | Published March 2, 2026
ROYAL OAK — The Royal Oak City Commission on Feb. 23 unanimously approved putting a charter amendment proposal on the Aug. 4 primary ballot that if approved would give the city the ability to levy 4.6 mills per year for 10 years starting in 2027 to provide funds for police, fire and emergency medical services.
According to the proposal document provided to the commission, in 2012 Royal Oak electors authorized a five-year tax levy of up to 3.975 mills specifically to fund police, fire and emergency medical services.
Voters renewed the tax levy of 3.9750 mills in 2016 and 2021. The current authorization is set to expire on Dec. 1, 2026.
According to the charter amendment proposal document, 3.975 mills, which is 86% of the 4.6-mill total, represents the renewal of the current public safety levy. The 0.625 mills, which is 14% of the total, represents the proposed additional millage that the city said will be used to meet demands.
Changing the term from a five-year to a 10-year renewal is meant to provide greater long-term stability for public safety operations, according to the proposal documentation in the Feb. 23 meeting agenda packet. This would allow for more predictable financial planning.
The 4.6-mill levy would go toward Royal Oak’s emergency services through 2037.
Interim City Manager Niccolas Grochowski provided a presentation in which he had a pie chart showing the public safety funding compared to the other items in the city’s general fund.
“Of the city’s $51.5 million general fund, about $25 million supports public safety. Roughly $7.8 million of that amount represents costs that are offset by the dedicated 3.975-mill public safety millage, while more than $17.2 million must still be covered by the general fund,” the presentation slide said.
The key reasons why this was requested include rising operational costs, offering competitive compensation, and strategic planning, according to the documentation.
In terms of rising operational costs, inflation has increased the cost of public safety vehicles, equipment, medical supplies and facility maintenance, according to the presentation. It’s been difficult for the city to continue with upkeep and replace what needs to be replaced, according to Grochowski.
Offering competitive compensation would maintain the police and fire pay adjustments; the millage supports the staffing levels, manages growing EMS call volumes and reduces reliance on overtime, according to the presentation.
Not renewing the levy could result in slower response times, overworked personnel and reduced staffing, Grochowski said.
Mayor Michael Fournier spoke in support of the proposal, mentioning inflation as one of the reasons.
“In public safety we see that in the cost of the things that we are buying. And it’s not just big shiny fire trucks, it’s the equipment that our firefighters use to keep them safe, their breathing apparatus, things of that nature,” he said. “It’s the new equipment out there that could be the difference between somebody surviving a heart attack or a traumatic event, because there’s a new piece of equipment we need to incorporate into our rigs in order to make sure that folks have a better survival rate.”
Fournier also said that emergency runs are up, stating that when he began his position as mayor, there were around 3,000-4,000 a year, and now there are more than 6,000 emergency runs per year.
“We know that because we have an aging population, and it’s not getting younger in the state of Michigan, it’s not getting younger in Oakland County, we got to take care of those people. We can’t neglect our parents, our elders, and not fund public safety appropriately,” he said.
Fournier urged voters to support the millage in August.
“In my opinion, this plan is imperative that we get out there in front of the voters, and I would encourage the voters to fully support it,” he said.
“It's such a large and important part of our budget,” Fournier said.
Fournier said that he does not want to pay more taxes, but he feels it's important to support those emergency services.
“What I do want is anytime any one of us, anybody in our community, dials 911, they have the best professional arriving at their door, whether that’s a police officer investigating something, a fire truck putting out a fire, or an ambulance coming to take somebody to the hospital in need,” he said. “I can tell you it doesn’t matter what the mill rate is at that time when you need to get a loved one to the hospital in seconds or minutes.”
Commissioner Woody Gontina stated his gratitude for the emergency services and his support for the proposed charter change.
“I am personally very grateful for what our public safety has demonstrated, what they are able to do, and how they are able to take care of this community, and the trust that they have built when given the proper resources,” Gontina said. “I think if you can look at it from that perspective of one of the things that’s at risk by not making sure that they have the proper resources, we are risking the trust that’s been built, and the safety that’s been brought to our community.”
Following the vote to approve the charter amendment proposal, the city will send the wording to the Governor’s Office and the Michigan Department of Attorney General, where it will be reviewed for changes and then placed on the August ballot.
For more information, visit romi.gov.