Voters will have many decisions to make at the November 5, 2024 general election. Among them will be several millage proposals. Here are the millages voters in our counties are asked to consider. We will cover election races in our next issue.
Village of Newberry
Village of Newberry Additional Village of Newberry Fire Millage
Shall the tax limitation on the total amount of taxes that may be levied against all table property within the Village of Newberry imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution be increased and the Village of Newberry be authorized to levy a millage amount of 2.0 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) of which 1.0 mill is a new additional millage for the purpose of maintaining, equipping, and operating the Newberry Fire Department or any other purpose authorized by law for fire service purposes and of which 1.0 mill is a new additional millage for the purpose of repair, maintenance, and purchase of fire vehicles levied for ten (10) years, beginning 2025 through 2034, inclusive, on all taxable property within the Village of Newberry, Luce County, Michigan. This is a new millage which if approved would be in addition to the current fire protection millage.
It is estimated that a levy of 2.0 mills would provide revenue raising an estimated $42,135 in the first year of the millage is levied; $21,068 for maintaining, equipping, and operating the fire department and $21,068 for fire vehicles.
Luce County
Ambulance Millage Increase Proposal
Shall Luce County levy 2.5 mills (2.50 on each $1,000 of taxable value on all taxable property within the County) for five (5) years, 2024 through 2028, inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for purchasing and maintaining emergency services vehicles, hiring and training staff, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians, and making capital improvements for the Luce County Ambulance Service to continue to serve approximately 1,800 square miles, and shall Luce County be authorized to levy an increase on the existing millage for these purposes? If approved and levied in its entirety, it is estimated that the 2.5 mills would raise $568,052 when first levied in 2024. Funds from this millage will be distributed to the Luce County Ambulance Service.
Tahquamenon Area Schools District
Tahquamenon Area Schools Operating Millage Proposal
This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its full revenue per pupil foundation allowance and restores millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963.
Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Tahquamenon Area Schools, Luce, Schoolcraft, Mackinac, and Chippewa counties, Michigan, be renewed by 17.8939 mills ($17.8939 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2026 to 2029, inclusive, and also be increased by 0.1061 mill ($0.1061 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2026 to 2029, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2026 is approximately $2,930,000 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2025 levy and a restoration of millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the “Headlee” amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963)?
Schoolcraft County
Millage Renewal Proposal
Shall the Schoolcraft County Transit Authority, County of Schoolcraft, Michigan, be authorized to levy annually a millage in an amount not to exceed 0.5841 mill ($0.5841 on each $1,000 of taxable value), which is a renewal of the millage rate that expired in 2023, against all taxable property within the Schoolcraft County Transit Authority limits (the jurisdictional limits of Schoolcraft County) for a period of four (4) years, 2024 to 2027, inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for all public transportation authority purposes permitted by law, including serving the elderly, disabled, and the general public of Schoolcraft County? The estimate of the revenue the Schoolcraft County Transit Authority will collect if the millage is approved and levied by the Schoolcraft County Transit Authority in the first year (2024) is approximately $250,000. A portion of the revenue collected may be subject to capture by the Manistique Downtown Development Authority.