Remember to vote in today’s primary. Vote on ballot proposals

by Hope Salyer

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should be a political party’s candidate for elected office to run in the general election. Primaries, also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders, are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. They often include local proposals.

Michigan utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party’s primary. However, Michigan Election Law (MCL 168.615c) guides the conduct of the Presidential Primary. The law requires that voters indicate in writing which political party ballot they wish to vote. This requirement only applies to Presidential Primary elections, and voters will not be required to select a political ballot type at other types of elections.

The following is a list of local ballot proposals for Ingham, Jackson, Livingston and Washtenaw counties:

Ingham County

INGHAM COUNTY POTTER PARK ZOO AND POTTER PARK
OPERATIONAL MILLAGE QUESTION

For the purpose of reauthorizing funding for the operation of the Potter Park Zoo and Potter Park, including funding for operations, maintenance, and improvements, shall the Constitutional limitation upon the total amount of taxes which may be assessed in one (1) year upon all property within the County of Ingham, Michigan be increased by up to 50/100 (0.5000) of one (1) mill, $0.50 per thousand dollars of state taxable valuation, for a period of six (6) years (2021-2026) inclusive? If approved and levied in full, this Millage will raise an estimated $3,841,444 in the first calendar year of the levy, based on state taxable valuation.
YES [ ] NO [ ]

COUNTYWIDE SYSTEM OF TRAILS AND PARKS
MILLAGE RENEWAL QUESTION

For the purpose of renewing funding at the same millage level previously approved by the voters in 2014 for the creation and maintenance of a countywide system of recreational trails and adjacent parks, which may incorporate trails or parks created by local units of government, including Lansing’s River Trail, and may acquire rights of way to connect and extend existing trails, shall the Constitutional limitation upon the total amount of taxes which may be assessed in one (1) year upon all property within the County of Ingham, Michigan, previously increased by up to 0.5000 mills, $0.50 per $1,000 of taxable value, be continued and renewed for a period of six (6) years (2020-2025) inclusive? If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $3,841,444.00 for the system of recreational trails and adjacent parks in the first calendar year of the levy based on taxable valuation.
YES [ ] NO [ ]

INGHAM COUNTY HEALTH SERVICES MILLAGE

For the purpose of reauthorizing funding for providing basic health care and mental health services to low-income Ingham County residents who are not eligible for Medicaid under the Federal Affordable Care Act, and who do not have medical insurance, including use of these funds to help pay for access to doctor visits, generic medications, mental health services and essential care such as preventive testing and treatment for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other serious illnesses, shall the Constitutional limitation upon the total amount of taxes which may be assessed in one (1) year upon all property within the County of Ingham, Michigan be increased by up to 63/100 (0.6300) of one (1) mill, $0.63 per thousand dollars of state taxable valuation, for a period of four (4) years (2020-2023) inclusive? If approved and levied in full, this Millage will raise an estimated $4,840,219 in the first calendar year of the levy, based on state taxable valuation.
YES [ ] NO [ ]

TOWNSHIP OF WILLIAMSTOWN
ROAD IMPROVEMENTS BOND PROPOSAL

Shall the Township of Williamstown, County of Ingham, Michigan, borrow the principal sum of not-to-exceed Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($7,500,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds in one or more series, payable in not to exceed ten (10) years from the date of issuance of each series, to provide funds, including any premium from the bond sale, to pay costs to improve, replace and reconstruct roads in the Township, including related site improvements, appurtenances and attachments?
If approved, the estimated millage to be levied in 2020 is 2.97 mills ($2.97 per $1,000 of taxable value) and the estimated simple average annual millage rate required to retire the bonds is 2.97 mills ($2.97 per $1,000 of taxable value).
YES [ ] NO [ ]

INGHAM INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPECIAL EDUCATION MILLAGE PROPOSAL
(RESTORATION OF HEADLEE REDUCTION)

This proposal requests additional millage to permit the continued levy by the intermediate school district of the maximum mills for special education previously approved by the electors.
Shall the current charter limitation on the annual property tax rate for the education of students with a disability in Ingham Intermediate School District, Michigan, be increased by 0.2438 mill ($0.2438 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 20 years, 2020 to 2039, inclusive (this increase will allow the intermediate school district to levy the maximum rate of 4.75 mills previously approved by the electors that has been reduced as required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963); the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2020 is approximately $2,300,000 from local property taxes authorized herein?
YES [ ] NO [ ]

Jackson County

INGHAM INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPECIAL EDUCATION MILLAGE PROPOSAL
(RESTORATION OF HEADLEE REDUCTION)

This proposal requests additional millage to permit the continued levy by the intermediate school district of the maximum mills for special education previously approved by the electors.
Shall the current charter limitation on the annual property tax rate for the education of students with a disability in Ingham Intermediate School District, Michigan, be increased by 0.2438 mill ($0.2438 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 20 years, 2020 to 2039, inclusive (this increase will allow the intermediate school district to levy the maximum rate of 4.75 mills previously approved by the electors that has been reduced as required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963); the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2020 is approximately $2,300,000 from local property taxes authorized herein?

HILLSDALE COUNTY INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT
AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROPOSAL

Shall Hillsdale County Intermediate School District, Michigan, come under sections 681 to 690 of the Revised School Code, as amended, and expand an area career and technical education program, which is designed to encourage the operation of area career and technical education programs, if the annual property tax levied for this purpose is limited to .6082 mill ($0.6082 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 20 years, 2020 to 2039, inclusive; the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2020 is approximately $703,332 from local property taxes authorized herein?

Springport Township Police Millage Renewal
Shall Springport Township impose a renewal of 2.5 mills ($2.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution and levy it for 5 years, 2020 through 2024 inclusive, for Police Protection, which 2.5 mills renewal will raise an estimated $172,567 in the first year the millage is levied.

Livingston County

MOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROPOSAL
BOND PROPOSITION

Shall Charles Stewart Mott Community College, Genesee County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Eighty Million Dollars ($80,000,000) and issue its bonds therefor in one or more series for the purpose of making permanent improvements to, renovating, remodeling, improving, equipping and reequipping College buildings and sites and other buildings to be used by the College for instructional purposes; acquiring buildings and sites for buildings; and constructing buildings and additions to buildings? The maximum number of years each series of bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is 20 years; the estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year that the levy is authorized is 0.36 mills (which is equal to 36 cents per $1,000.00 of taxable value of real and tangible personal property in the College District); and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire the bonds is 0.34 mills (which is equal to 34 cents per $1,000.00 of taxable value of real and tangible personal property in the College District).

INGHAM ISD PROPOSAL
INGHAM INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPECIAL EDUCATION MILLAGE PROPOSAL
(RESTORATION OF HEADLEE REDUCTION)

This proposal requests additional millage to permit the continued levy by the intermediate school district of the maximum mills for special education previously approved by the electors.
Shall the current charter limitation on the annual property tax rate for the education of students with a disability in Ingham Intermediate School District, Michigan, be increased by 0.2438 mill ($0.2438 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 20 years, 2020 to 2039, inclusive (this increase will allow the intermediate school district to levy the maximum rate of 4.75 mills previously approved by the electors that has been reduced as required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963); the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2020 is approximately $2,300,000 from local property taxes authorized herein?

Washtenaw County

NORTHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS – 1 PROPOSAL
NORTHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SINKING FUND MILLAGE PROPOSAL

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Northville Public Schools, Wayne, Oakland and Washtenaw Counties, Michigan, be increased by, and the board of education be authorized to levy, not to exceed .9519 mill ($0.9519 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 5 years, 2021 to 2025, inclusive, to create a sinking fund for the construction or repair of school buildings, for school security improvements, for the acquisition or upgrading of instructional technology and all other purposes authorized by law; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2021 is approximately $3,096,668?

PLYMOUTH-CANTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS – 1 PROPOSAL
PLYMOUTH-CANTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
COUNTIES OF WAYNE AND WASHTENAW
STATE OF MICHIGAN
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT BOND PROPOSAL

Shall the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, Counties of Wayne and Washtenaw, State of Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Two Hundred Seventy-Five Million Dollars ($275,000,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds, in one or more series, for the purpose of paying for the cost of the following projects:
• Remodeling, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing and re-furnishing school buildings, performing arts center, activity
and athletic fields, playgrounds and other facilities for safety and security, energy conservation and other purposes;
• Erecting, completing, equipping and furnishing a new stadium, activity and athletic facilities and a
maintenance/storage facility and secure entryway, classroom, gymnasium, and natatorium additions to existing school buildings and other facilities;
• Acquiring and installing instructional technology infrastructure and equipment in school buildings and other facilities and the purchase of school buses; and
• Preparing, developing and improving sites at school buildings, playgrounds, activity and athletic fields and other facilities for traffic control, safety and security and other purposes?
The annual debt millage required to retire all bonds of the School District currently outstanding and proposed pursuant to this Proposal is expected to remain at or below the annual debt millage of 4.02 mills levied in 2019. The maximum number of years any series of bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than twenty (20) years; the estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 0.98 mills (which is equal to $0.98 per $1,000 of taxable value); and
the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire each series of bonds is 1.65 mills annually ($1.65 per $1,000 of taxable value). (Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, repair or maintenance costs or other operating expenses.)

INGHAM INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT – 1 PROPOSAL
INGHAM INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPECIAL EDUCATION MILLAGE PROPOSAL
(RESTORATION OF HEADLEE REDUCTION)

This proposal requests additional millage to permit the continued levy by the intermediate school district of the maximum mills for special education previously approved by the electors.
Shall the current charter limitation on the annual property tax rate for the education of students with a disability in Ingham Intermediate School District, Michigan, be increased by 0.2438 mill ($0.2438 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 20 years, 2020 to 2039, inclusive (this increase will allow the intermediate school district to levy the maximum rate of 4.75 mills
previously approved by the electors that has been reduced as required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963); the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2020 is approximately $2,300,000 from local property taxes authorized herein?

WASHTENAW COMMUNITY COLLEGE – 1 PROPOSAL
WASHTENAW COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MILLAGE RENEWAL AND RESTORATION
This proposal authorizes Washtenaw Community College to levy 1.00 mill for operating purposes for 10 years. Of the 1.00 mill, 0.9718 represents a renewal of the 1.00 mill authorization approved by the electors in 2008, which will expire with the 2020 tax levy and 0.0282 mill represents a restoration of the portion of the same authority which was reduced by application of the Headlee Amendment.
Shall the limitation on the total amount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable property within the Washtenaw Community College district, State of Michigan, be increased by 1.00 mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of Taxable Valuation) for a period of 10 years, the years 2021 through 2030 inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes? Of the 1.00 mill, 0.9718 represents a renewal of that portion of the 1.00 mill authorization previously approved by the electors as reduced by operation of the Headlee Amendment, and 0.0282 represents new additional millage in the amount equal to the amount reduced by operation
of the Headlee Amendment. It is estimated that the 1.00 mill would raise $17,500,000 for the College when first levied in 2021.