The “Citizens for Ypsi” committee is trying to get the Water Street Debt Retirement Millage back on the ballot after voters turned away a similar tax issue last summer.

WEMU's Jorge Avellan reports on a petition supporting the Water Street Retirement Millage.

The group has collected 860-petition signatures since February. In order to qualify for the August 8th ballot, 848 of those signatures must be deemed from valid, registered voters.

Committee member Adam Gainsley says we should know soon whether the city will get a second chance at the debt-retirement proposal.

"I'll turn it in to the city clerk on Thursday of this week, and her and her staff will take those and validate them against the voter rolls and take those back to City Council at their May 4th meeting."

If the proposal makes it to the ballot, and is approved, the 2.3 mill would generate about $700,000 a year to help pay off the debt for the Water Street redevelopment project. It would cost homeowners, on average, about $140 a year through the year 2031.

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— Jorge Avellan is a reporter for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him javellan@emich.edu