(Source: MIRS.news, Published 10/18/2024) County, township and city ballot proposals in Michigan are reporting 382 money-related measures on local ballots on Nov. 5, making up nearly $2 billion in requested revenue.

The MIRS News spreadsheet of the local ballot proposals for the November General indicates Michigan schools and a community college are asking for 25 percent of all the issues, followed by areas looking to fix or maintain the roads, which makes up 20 percent of the local ballot issues. Police, fire and public safety departments combined make up 21 percent of the issues.

A total of 39 bonding issues worth more than $1.2 billion are on ballots. Of those, 72 percent are related to schools, with the largest bonding issue coming from L’anse Creuse Public School District in Macomb County. The district has a $188.7 million bond up for vote.

The largest non-school bond comes from Clawson in Oakland County, which is looking to bond out $64.5 million for city roads. The smallest bond comes from Manistee County, which is looking for $1 million for a trail and park system.

A unique bonding issue comes from Grosse Ile Township, where a $59.74 million bond to create a toll bridge is on the ballot. Legislation was signed into law earlier this year to allow this measure to appear on the ballot. 

There are 87 millage increases on the ballot worth more than $56 million. The largest increase would be coming from Washtenaw County, worth $11.6 million.

Roads make up the nearly 28 percent of local millage increases for townships and municipalities.

There are two unique ballot measures in the local sphere, with Ingham County asking for more than $5.6 million to help with affordable housing and to get the homeless into a shelter.

Meyer Township in Menominee was asking for nearly $21,000 to help fight an invasive species in the area’s lakes.

Millage renewals make up 147 of the total local ballot issues, which is 38 percent of the total.

Roads make up 23 percent of all the renewals. The largest coming from Farmington Hills, where voters are being asked to sink $9 million into the city streets. Fire departments make up 22 percent with a department in Brighton asking to renew $10 million.

Schools had the largest renewal ask with $108 million from Wayne County RESA.

There are 79 local ballot proposals looking to restore the property taxes lost to the “Headlee Amendment” that reduced property taxes.

The biggest restoration comes from Traverse City Area Public Schools, where residents are looking to put back more than 20 mills to raise more than $57.3 million.

All 24 sinking fund ballot proposals were asked for by schools with a total of $36 million up for grabs.

There were also several unique ballot proposals that didn’t have to do with millages or bonding issues. 

Thirteen cannabis amendments are up, with only Royal Oak asking to remove marijuana from the area.

A Sanilac township is trying to pass a zoning ordinance to put a moratorium on solar and wind power being built in the area.

Alpena Power was asking for a vote to expand outside the city, into Alpena County and Montmorency County. Many of the surrounding townships would take votes to allow the utility to come in.

Ingham County was also asking to increase the taxes put on lodging in the area.