(Source: MIRS.news, Published 02/23/2024) It won’t be just voting to see a rematch of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Feb. 27. Voters in most Michigan counties will also be considering a combined $1.04 billion in local millage, bond and other tax issues.
There are fewer bonding issues than normal, which can be seen on the spreadsheet put together by MIRS, with 12 total. Ten of these are school issues. The largest is Almont Community Schools serving Lapeer, St. Clair, Macomb and Oakland counties. The district is asking for $58.4 million. The smallest would be from Kingston Community schools in Lapeer County, which will ask for $3.48 million.
There are two non-school bonding issues for roads in Rolland Township and a fire department in Bear Creek Township, which is the largest non-school bond at $4.1 million. The total for the bond issues is $161.16 million.
The property taxes, either millage renewals, millage increases or millage restorations from taxes lost because of the Headlee Amendment make up the bulk of the local proposals.
Nearly $484 million is coming from 30 millage increases. The highest single amount raised would be from a millage increase in London Township, which would create nearly $263.3 million for a township in Monroe County to do roads. The same township also has nearly $197.5 million up for a fire department.
Eight of the 30 local property tax increases ask for more money to fix the local roads, with eight also asking for money for local fire departments.
Millage renewals make most of the 163 local tax issues, with 70 under the category. There is a total of nearly $239 million from all the renewals across the state.
Schools make up 31 of the total proposals with a school also coming in first for the highest ask for a renewal ($41 million) from Dearborn Public Schools.
A unique millage renewal is also being asked of people living in Laruium in Houghton County. The proposal is asking if people want to chip in for snow removal for the village.
There are 38 different proposals asking for restoration of property taxes to a time before they were automatically reduced by the Headlee Amendment. Again, schools make up 23 of the proposals, with the largest coming from Rochester Community Schools, which would stand to lose nearly $24.6 million.
There are three school districts in Manistee County, Kaleva Norman Dickson School, Onekama Consolidated Schools, and Bear Lake Schools, that claim no extra money would be paid in taxes if the Headlee Amendment restoration was passed.
All 11 sinking fund proposals would go to schools, with the largest coming from Lake Orion Community Schools, which is asking for nearly $5 million. The total would add up to more than $16.5 million.
Hazelton in Shiawassee County is asking for a $200 special assessment from everyone in the city for ambulance services.
There are three proposals pertaining to marijuana. One in Caro, in Tuscola County, would opt in to the program, one in Algonac, in St. Clair County, that would opt out of the program, and one in Pontiac, in Oakland County, that would set up a point-based social equitable program within the city to apply for microbusiness licenses and marijuana business permits.
Custer Township in Sanilac County is trying to pass a zoning ordinance that would set more regulation on solar energy systems in the township.
