2011 General Election Ballot Guide: Michigan
- Voters
in Berrien, Calhoun, Jackson, Kent, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties will
vote to renew existing property tax and public safety levies which would not
increase the current burden on taxpayers.
Berrien County
Local
measures
- (–)
Residents in the City of Benton Harbor
will vote on renewing for 11 years the Public Library mill levy in order to
fund library operations. The levy was reduced to 1.75 mills, but will be
increased to the original 2 mills for the renewal.
- (–)
Residents in the City of Benton Harbor
will consider City Charter Amendment 6, which lowers the level of support
needed, from six City Commissioners to four, to create, combine and
establish city departments, vacate streets, alleys, and public grounds, and
purchase, lease, sell or dispose of real estate interests in public grounds or
private property taken for public use. Although there is a limited prospect for
savings, on balance this measure would make it easier for local government to
create taxpayer liabilities.
- (–)
Bridgeman School District voters will decide a bond measure issuing $1,700,000
in debt to remodel and make general upgrades to school facilities.
Calhoun County
Local
measures
- (–)
Voters in the Tekonsha Community School District will decide
whether to issue $3,995,000 in general obligation bonds for capital
improvements. Passage of the measure will result in a property tax increase of
3.7 mills for the next 19 years.
Grand Traverse County
Local
measures
- (–)
Residents in the Buckley School District will decide on a measure that seeks to
issue a bond in the amount of $6,730,000 in order to pay for remodeling the
district’s athletic facilities.
Jackson County
Local
measures
- (–)
Voters in the Napoleon Community Schools District will decide on issuing
$21,800,000 in debt for capital improvements. If passed, the measure would
increase property taxes by 4.25 mills in 2012.
- (–)
Northwest Community School District residents will vote on a property tax
increase of $3.90 per $1,000 of assessed value to pay for the district’s
operating expenses.
Kalamazoo County
Local
measures
- (–) Voters in the Mattawan School District in Kalamazoo and
Van Buren Counties will decide on issuing $59,900,000 in new debt for capital
improvements. If passed, the measure would increase property taxes 3.4 mills in
2012.
Kent County
Local
measures
- (–)
Byron Center Public School District voters will decide on issuing new debt of
$23,600,000 for capital improvements.
- (+)
City of Kentwood residents will vote on Charter Amendment 1 to prohibit
convicted felons from serving as city elected officials.
- (–)
Voters in the City of Lowell will decide on renewing for 10 years a $23,775
annual property tax to pay for the Lowell Area Historical Museum.
- (–)
Northwest Community School District residents will vote on a property tax
increase of $3.90 per $1,000 of assessed value to pay for the district’s
operating expenses.
Lenawee County
Local
measures
Marquette County
Local
measures
- (–)
Voters in the Marquette Area Public Schools will decide on issuing $29,220,000
in new debt for capital improvements.
- (–)
Residents in the Republic-Michigamme School District will decide on issuing
$4,245,000 in debt for energy conservation and new heating systems.
Newaygo County
Local
measures
- (–)
Newaygo Public School District voters will decide on issuing $3,000,000 in new
debt for technology upgrades.
Oakland County
Local
measures
- (–)
Bloomfield Hills residents will vote on a measure seeking to increase the
library tax to $0.39 per $1,000 of assessed property value for three years.
- (+)
Voters in Farmington City will face five amendments to their city charter
intended to modernize its budget rules, including requiring the city to begin
estimating its tax revenue and restrictions on the transfer of tax dollars from
one department to another.
- (–)
Residents of Farmington Hills will also vote on an amendment to their city
charter, in this case to allow for a 10-year tax increase of 1.7 mills to fund
police services.
- (–)
Hazel Park voters will decide on a tax increase of $0.48 per $1,000 of assessed
property value to fund the city library.
- (–)
Macomb School District residents will vote on an increase of the property tax
to $1.20 per $1,000 of assessed value for special education services.
- (–)
Northville Public School District residents in Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne
Counties will decide on a proposal to raise the non-residential property tax
from the current $18 per $1,000 of assessed value to $20.91 per $1,000 to fund
the district’s general budget.
- (+)
Orchard Lake Village voters will weigh in on a measure to abolish a small
portion of roadway at the end of Willow Lane and then sell the vacated road.
- (–)
Voters in Royal Oak will decide on an amendment to the city charter that would
implement a five-year, 1 mill tax to pay for garbage services.
- (–)
Sylvan Lake residents will vote on a 10-year, 5 mill tax increase for police
and fire services.
- (–)
West Bloomfield Township voters will decide on a tax increase of 2.85 mills for
11 years to fund public safety services.
Saginaw County
Local
measures
- (–)
Merrill Community School District voters will decide on issuing $7,755,000 in
new debt for capital improvements.
Shiawassee County
Local
measures
- (–)
Voters in the Byron Area School Districts will decide on issuing $13,450,000 in
new debt for capital improvements.
- (–)
Laingsburg Community School District voters will decide on issuing $5,850,000
in new debt for technology and transportation upgrades.
Van Buren
Local
measures
- (–) Bangor Public School District voters will decide on issuing
$8,480,000 in new debt for capital improvements.
- (–) Voters in the Mattawan School District in Kalamazoo and
Van Buren Counties will decide on issuing $59,900,000 in new debt for capital
improvements. If passed, the measure would increase property taxes 3.4 mills in
2012.
Washtenaw County
Local
measures
- (–)
City of Ann Arbor voters will consider Proposal 2 to increase the street and
bridge reconstruction levy by $563,000 per year for five years.
- (–)
Milan City voters will decide on levying a new property tax of $0.25 per $1,000
of assessed value for seven years to fund the Public Library budget.
- (–)
Voters in the Napoleon Community Schools District will decide on issuing
$21,800,000 in debt for capital improvements. If passed, the measure would
increase property taxes by 4.25 mills in 2012.
- (–) Northville Public School District residents
in Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties will decide on a proposal to raise
the non-residential property tax from the current $18 per $1,000 of assessed
value to $20.91 per $1,000 to fund the district’s general budget.
- (–) Sylvan Township voters will decide on a
proposal to raise property taxes 4.75 mills for 20 years in order to pay the
Township’s $5,000,000 obligation to Washtenaw County and pay for the $7,500,000
contract between the county and township for the Sylvan Wastewater System. A
further $1,200,000 would be used to pay the Washtenaw County Treasurer for
reimbursement of monies advanced in anticipation of sewer fees, which were
later voided by court order.
Wayne County
Local
measures
- (–) City of Allen Park voters will decide on
imposing a new 3.5-mill public safety levy for five years to pay for police and
fire protection.
- (–) Allen Park residents will also vote on a
proposal to enact a new levy to finance a set of existing bonds with
outstanding principal totaling $31,025,000. The bonds were initially issued to
finance the acquisition of a 104-acre site for film production facilities. The
new levy would result in a property tax increase of 3.3 mills in 2012 with an
average of 2.3 mills through the duration of the bonds, which mature in 2039.
- (–) City of Dearborn voters will consider
Proposal 1 to raise property taxes $12,250,000 per year for five years for
public safety programs.
- (–) Residents of the City of Dearborn will vote
on Proposal 2 to raise taxes $3,500,000 per year for 10 years to fund the
public library.
- (+) City of Dearborn residents will consider
Proposal 3, which would eliminate the city’s Civil Service System. Workers are
currently covered under eight separate union agreements which take precedence
over any civil service protections.
- (–) Residents of the City of Dearborn Heights
will vote on permanently raising local general property taxes by $2.94 per
$1,000 of assessed value. New tax dollars would be split between the general
operating fund, sanitation obligations and police and fire services.
- (–) The City of Flat Rocks will vote on raising
taxes $656,250 per year for five years to pay for police and fire protection,
as well as general fund spending.
- (–) Garden City residents will vote on a measure
that would impose new property taxes totaling $570,000 per year for the
establishment and operation of a public library.
- (–) Voters in Grosse Ile will decide on issuing
$6,855,000 in new debt for the purpose of settling a court judgment against the
city. The measure would result in a property tax increase of 0.9 mills in 2012.
- (–) Grosse Ile City voters will also consider
whether to impose a new property tax levy of $0.40 per $1,000 of assessed value
for ten years for road repair and construction.
- (–) Northville Public School District residents
in Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties will decide on a proposal to raise
the non-residential property tax from the current $18 per $1,000 of assessed
value to $20.91 per $1,000 to fund the district’s general budget.
- (–) City of Wyandotte residents will vote on
whether or not to impose a new 1.75-mill levy to fund general city operations.
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