School district to ask voters for millage renewal

Feb. 19, 2014  PLYMOUTH EAGLE.

The non-homestead millage does not apply to homes or owner-occupied residences…

Voters in the Plymouth Canton School District will be asked to approve an 18-mill non-homestead millage during an August election.

The non-homestead millage does not apply to homes or owner-occupied residences but is applied only to businesses and other non-principal properties, such as apartment complexes.

The current non-homestead millage was first approved by voters in 2004 and will expire in July. According to the original ballot language, the millage, which accounts for about 17 percent of the district budget, can be levied one more time without voter approval. It will generate about $25.2 million for the 2013-14 school year.

School board members opted for the August date, which is a municipal, county and state primary election, rather than pay for a special school election in May or November. Administrators estimated that the cost of a special election could be $115,000.

The ballot question will refer to the non-homestead levy as a new tax, although officials said it is, in fact, a renewal of the question approved by voters in 2004.

Officials said that the district would begin an informational campaign regarding the ballot question to ensure that voters understood the non-homestead tax would apply to businesses and commercial property, and not homes.

Board members also indicated that if the question were to fail in August, during the scheduled primary elections, they could ask voters again for approval on the upcoming general election ballot in November.

|News Plymouth Michigan

Plymouth Voice