Public safety in Oakland County suffered multiple major blows in Tuesday’s election.
Voters shot down police millages and fire millages also went up in smoke as taxpayers said enough. Other public safety measures passed, but perhaps by narrower margins than in previous years.
Here are unofficial results, with failing measures first, followed by successful proposals.
Orion Township
In Orion Township, a proposal of 3.75 mills to cover police services provided by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office was overwhelmingly defeated, with 60.94% voting no to 39.06% yes.
A fire millage proposal of 3.85 mills also failed, albeit in a much closer vote, with 51.59% saying no to 48.41% yes. Without it, the township’s fire department is unfunded for 2026-27.
Cary Thayer, 55, voted in favor of the police millage in Orion Township, but against the fire millage, which he said lacked details and was “excessive.”
Bobby Peters, 35, was the opposite. He voted no on a millage for police, a service he believed to be “overfunded,” but yes for the fire millage.
“They do their job and should have more money to do it,” Peters said.
Gary Skrzycki voted no on both millages.
“Regardless of party, there seems to be a need to keep adding to the pile,” the 64-year-old Orion Township resident said. “No one asks, ‘Where can we cut?’ That’s what we have to do at home. … It’s a marketing ploy with no product to sell; they’re just taking, taking, taking.”
Waterford Township
Voters in Waterford Township were asked to renew and increase a police millage and two separate fire millages “to restore lost millage due to Headlee rollbacks.” They weren’t having it. The 1.5 mill police millage failed with 60.04% of voters saying no to 39.96% yes, while the fire millages, each 1 mill, failed in very close votes. One went down with 50.26% no to 49.74% yes, while the other had 53.03% no to 46.97% yes.
Independence Township
Voters in Independence Township rejected a proposed 3.2 mills for police services provided by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The vote was 53.56% no to 46.44% yes. They also put the kibosh on a new additional millage of up to 0.32 mills for four years to fund school resource officers in the Clarkston Community School District. That measure failed with 56.79% voting no to 43.21% yes.
Brandon Township
A renewal of 4.25 mills for eight years for police services would have raised $3,521,190 in its first year for protection in Brandon Township provided by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, but 51.65% of Brandon voters said no, to only 48.35% saying yes.
Highland Township
Highland Township voters were asked to approve a 6-year levy of 2.32 mills for fire and EMS, which included a half-mill increase, but the answer was no by 51.11% of voters, with only 48.89% saying yes.
And on the other side of the coin:
Auburn Hills
In Auburn Hills, voters approved a 4-mill levy for fire protection, emergency medical and advanced life support services. The vote was 54.80% yes to 45.20% no. The levy represents a 1.5 mill increase over the 2.50 mills previously approved by voters. There is no limit to the duration of the levy.
Mary Lewis, 38, voted yes for the fire millage.
“I live and work in this area, and we need to keep the community safe,” she said. “It’s only a matter of time before wildfires are at our door.”
Royal Oak
Royal Oak voters approved 4.60 mills for police, fire and emergency medical services for 10 years, with an estimated $18,081,800 to be raised in 2027. The vote was 64.46% yes to 35.54% no.
The second proposal renews a 1-mill levy for five years for refuse collection, disposal and a curbside recycling program, which would raise approximately $3,930,800 when first levied in 2027.
Chris Mikell, 43, said he voted in favor of the millage to ensure public safety had adequate resources.
“Everything is more expensive,” he noted. “A million is not what it was ten years ago.”
Adrienne Grant also said the money needed to support law enforcement was a worthy investment in keeping the community safe.
“Once you let go of a service, it doesn’t come back,” she said. “We need to protect (the community) at all costs.”
Oak Park
Oak Park voters supported the renewal of 7 mills for seven years in order to fund the retirement system for public safety officers with 62.22% saying yes to 37.78% no. Voters also renewed .9850 mills for 10 years for public safety with 61.78% voting yes to 38.22% no.
Rochester Hills
Voters overwhelmingly supported 3.5 mills for funding the fire department, with 71.45% saying yes, to only 28.55% saying no.
Addison Township
Voters reinstated 3.4874 mills for four years for police protection and operations provided by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The vote was 60.10% yes to 39.90% no.
Bloomfield Township
A public safety millage for police and fire authorizing 1.8428 mills for 10 years easily passed, with 73.76% voting yes to only 26.24% no.
Springfield Township
The township asked voters to renew police and fire millages and they came through. The 2 mills for fire was approved for 10 years with 61.31% yes to 38.69% no. The police millage, 2.9441 mills for 10 years for service provided by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, was supported by 55.46% of voters, with 44.54% saying no.
Village of Franklin
Finally, voters in the Village of Franklin took one for the police team, supporting a levy of 3.4 mills for five years that replace an originally authorized .3802 mills. The votes was 62.61% yes to 37.39% no.
Contact reporter Susan Bromley at [email protected].
