Saginaw Yes!

Mayor Wilmer Ham, Mayor Henry Marsh, Judge Joseph DeFrancesco, Councilwoman Carol Cottrell

Honorary Co-Chairs

 

PRESS RELEASE

September 4, 2003

For Immediate Release

Tea House and Enrichment Center will be

victims of tax cap defeat

 

Saginaw’s Japanese Cultural Center and Andersen Enrichment Center will suffer catastrophic cutbacks if City voters do not approve the property tax referendum on Tuesday, November 5, 2002.  City administrators have presented a plan to City Council that would result in the closure of the Teahouse and a substantial cutback in services for the Enrichment Center if the 1979 property tax caps are not removed.

 

The Japanese Cultural Center and Teahouse and the Saginaw-Tokushima Friendship Garden are symbols of the friendship and goodwill of both cities and their respective countries.  Established in the wake of World War II, the Teahouse stands as a tribute to the over 40-year sister city relationship between Tokushima and Saginaw.  It is one of only 12 teahouses in the US and was built as a cooperative project between the two sister cities in 1986 at a cost of $562,000, mostly from donations from both Saginaw and Tokushima.  Saginaw’s Teahouse is a popular destination for tour groups and the Friendship Garden has become a very popular location for photo backdrops and weddings, in addition to its more traditional attraction as a place for quiet reflection. 

 

In addition to its authentic Japanese tea ceremonies, over the years the Teahouse has offered area residents a variety of activities from classes in origami and calligraphy to instruction in flower arranging and Tai chi.  The guest book boasts visitors from around the world who have enjoyed our unique opportunity to engage in genuine cultural exchange.

 

Staffing, operation, and maintenance of the Teahouse now exceeds $100,000 annually.  While some revenue is generated from tour groups and weddings, such activities account for less than $10,000 per year.  Unless private sources are tapped to cover necessary expenses, the Teahouse will close if voters fail to remove the tax caps.

 

Likewise, the Andersen Enrichment Center, which routinely books a variety of special events, from wedding receptions and graduation parties to business meetings and conferences, will suffer.  Currently City staff supports the maintenance and operation of the facility, but without removal of the tax caps, staff support for the Enrichment Center may be eliminated, forcing the Center to rely solely on its meager rental income and private support.

 

Saginaw Yes! believes every citizen deserves a Teahouse and Enrichment Center to enhance our quality of life.  Without restoring a reasonable property tax millage – the 10-mill rate that had been imposed before 1979 – the City simply cannot afford to support these services.