Subject: Revisiting Our Financial Priorities—A Community Conversation
I’m not a financial planner or an accountant, but like many of us, I’ve been paying attention to how our city talks about money, growth, and the future. Five years ago, we were told that Harbor Springs needed to find alternative sources of revenue. This included ideas like Headlee rollbacks, paid parking, a safety millage, selling city-owned land, and relying on donations and grants to fund up to 10% of the Capital Improvement Plan.
So where are we now?
We received a generous $500,000 donation for our parks—wonderful in spirit, but we still don’t know what the long-term maintenance, staffing, and capital replacement costs will be. Meanwhile, the DDA has access to Emmet County infrastructure funds, yet seems hesitant to support essential infrastructure facilities at the Marina—like public toilets, washers, and dryers—that target more visitors and revenue downtown.
At the same time, we’re being asked to consider a $10 million bond for an electric substation and electric line upgrades and meter upgrades that plan for growth, and we have $1.2 million in capital funding available for a new Marina building—meant to address plumbing and laundry issues that the Harbor Commission itself has acknowledged could be resolved in other, more cost-effective ways.
So we have to ask: Are we spending wisely? Are we solving real problems, or creating new ones?
Zoning changes are on the table now, and they matter—not just because they shape how our town looks and functions, but because zoning is one of the most powerful tools we have for generating long-term revenue.
The trendy much discussed ‘Smart Zoning’ proposition:
• Encourage year-round housing, which brings in more stable tax revenue. (Harbor Springs though depends on non-homesteaded – non year-round taxes to fund the $42M School Bond).
• Support small businesses beyond tourism, including farming, healthcare, and education.
• Attract young families and professionals—vital for sustaining schools and local services. (Harbor Springs schools have initiated a between schools exchange program allowing diverse offerings to students while Harbor Springs has been focused on tourism, and attracting families – yet in a resort town land prices practically prohibit the traditional concept of ‘young family’ affordability.)
Emmet County’s Master Plan perhaps offers Harbor Springs a place among other communities and reflects these values: better jobs, more family-supporting infrastructure, and thoughtful growth. And yet, the Harbor Springs DDA continues to capture tax dollars from institutions like Emmet County and NCMC—who are doing the hard work of creating real opportunity—rather than to fund tourism-focused projects downtown.
So I’m left wondering: Are we contributing to the greater good of the region, or are we consuming more than our fair share of resources without a clear long-term vision?
Are we prioritizing community resilience—or seasonal aesthetics?
Now seems like the right time to revisit the financial roadmap we were given five years ago—especially in light of the new financial audits posted on the city’s website. I’d love to see someone with financial and planning expertise review how the promises then line up with the actual decisions now.
What do we need vs. what do we want?
How can we make zoning, budgeting, and planning decisions that serve all our county families, workers, and our future—not just our Harbor Springs day visitors?
Let’s follow the money—and ask the right questions while there’s still time to plan wisely.
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To: Support small businesses beyond tourism, including health care industry and the trades industry.
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To: Attract young families and professionals to the greater area—vital for sustaining all our schools and local services to the greater area.
Let’s follow the money—revenue and spending—and ask the right questions while there’s still time to plan wisely. Thank you.