Carla Cole calls it a “necessary evil.”

The Buchanan mayor is not alone in support of a county-wide road millage proposed by the Berrien County Road Commission.

The Buchanan Board of Commissioners this month unanimously passed a resolution supporting to place the issue on the August 2012 ballot.

“We don’t want to increase a burden on our citizens, but they also have to get to work and travel down the road,” she said. “Some of the roads are just falling apart.”

Niles Township Supervisor Jim Kidwell agrees and brought a similar resolution before the township board Monday night, but the board members agreed to table the issue until more details surface about the proposal.

Brian Berndt, the Berrien County Road Commission engineer/manager, told the Star earlier this month that the millage request would be for a half-mill and would last for six years. It would generate $3.4 million each year to fund road maintenance and improvement projects.

Road commissions in Michigan are funded by a state gas tax of 19 cents per gallon and license fees. But Berndt says with the rising cost of gas, people are buying less fuel. And with fewer people living in the state, fewer license plates are being purchased.

Due to those developments, the Berrien County Road Commission has seen a 10 percent decrease in revenue over the last decade. The county has 1,483 miles of roads and a recent study rated 200 of them in poor condition.

At Niles Township’s Monday meeting, Treasurer Jim Ringler voiced concern with the proposed millage, which he called an “unproportional tax.”

“Farmers will pay a lot,” Ringler said. “At least the gas tax is flat.”

The township will reconsider the resolution at its next board meeting.

Niles City Administrator Terry Eull said the city council will probably consider the resolution at next week’s meeting.

“I think it would be good,” Eull said. “Anything with the potential to bring money into the city for roads is definitely a good thing.”

Cole said county officials will be at the Buchanan City Commission’s Monday meeting to answer questions about the proposed millage.