By Gari Voss
The August 6, 2024, Primary Election is in full swing. Absentee ballots have been requested, sent and are being returned, polls are open for early voting, and Tuesday, August 6th is rapidly approaching. For many precincts, this election is extremely important in choosing county, township and community leaders in their respective parties.
In addition, this primary has numerous ballot proposals which if passed will renew funding to meet specific needs for the precincts. Precinct budgets depend on the renewal of the funds which have been lost because of the Headlee rollbacks.
Voters can now review proposals and candidates at https://www.allegancounty.org/departments/elections and ask questions that will affect all precincts in a township or municipality.
ALLEGAN COUNTY
COUNTY 9-1-1 Mileage. Should the county renew the millage for the period beginning on January 1, 2026, and continuing until the Emergency 9-1-1 Service Enabling Act (Act 32 of 1986) is repealed or through December 31, 2035, whichever occurs first. This is a monthly surcharge of up to and not to exceed $3.00 on the monthly billings of communication service suppliers to service users within the geographic boundaries of Allegan County?
COUNTY Road Resurfacing and Reconstruction Renewal Road Resurfacing. Should the County be permitted to continue its 1.0 mill levy for County Primary Road Resurfacing, Prevention, and related preparation, and City/Village Road Improvement, which expired in 2023. It renews the 0.9654 millage not reduced by the Headlee Amendment millage rollback, and it would increase that millage by .0346 to restore it to its original 1.0 mill?
ALLEGAN TOWNSHIP
ALLEGAN TOWNSHIP Proposal I. A Renewal Proposal to provide a fund for improvements of township roads in the Township of Allegan of the 15 mill tax limitation to be renewed at 1.0000 mills ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) for the period of 2025 through 2028 for the purpose of road improvements within said Township, thereby raising in the first year an estimated $207,580?
ALLEGAN TOWNSHIP Proposal II. A Renewal Proposal to provide a fund for fire protection in the Township of Allegan. Shall the previously voted increase in the 15 mill tax be renewed at .5000 mills ($.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2028 to provide fire protection within Allegan Township, and shall the township levy such renewal to raise in the first year an estimated $103,780?
CHESHIRE TOWNSHIP.
Public Road Maintenance/Improvement. Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation at 2.0 mills for 2019-2024 be renewed at and increased up to the original voted and previously renewed 2.0 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value), thereby raising in the first year of such levy an estimated $174,519?
CLYDE TOWNSHIP
CLYDE Proposal I, Renewal of Fire Protection Millage. Shall the expired previously voted increase of 2 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value) be restored to the original 2 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027 for purposes of fire protection within Clyde Township, raising an estimated $147,673 the first year the millage is levied.
CLYDE Proposal II, Renewal of Road Improvement Millage. Shall the expired previously voted increase of 2 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value), be renewed and increased to the original 2 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027, for purposes of funding road improvements within Clyde Township, raising an estimated $147,673 the first year the millage is levied?
CLYDE Proposal III Renewal of Ambulance Service Millage. Shall the expired previously voted increase be restored at and increased to the original .5 mill ($0.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027, for providing ambulance services within Clyde Township, raising an estimated $36,918 the first year the millage is levied?
DORR TOWNSHIP
Fire Equipment and Fire Vehicle Millage Renewal. Shall the previously voted increase in the total tax rate limitation be imposed on taxable property be renewed at 0.4780 mills ($0.4780 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2028, to purchase, improve, maintain, repair, and replace fire equipment and fire vehicles in Dorr Township; and raise revenues of approximately $180,813.33 in the first year of the levy?
As required by law, a small portion of the revenues from this millage renewal will be captured within the district of and disbursed to the Dorr Township Downtown Development Authority.
GANGES TOWNSHIP
GANGES Ambulance and First Responder Millage. Shall an expiring increase of 0.5 mill, be renewed by 0.5 mills ($0.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2028 for Ambulance Service and for the First Responder Department; thereby, raising in the first year an estimated $150,597?
GANGES Fire Protection Millage. Shall the tax limitation be renewed by 1.33 mills ($1.33 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2028 for Fire Protection; thereby, raising in the first year an estimated $391,552?
GANGES Road Millage. Shall an expiring increase of 1.5 mills be renewed for the Township at 1.5 mills ($1.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2028 for road improvement and maintenance purposes; thereby raising in the first year an estimated $451,791?
HEATH TOWNSHIP
HEATH Fire Improvement Millage. Shall the expired tax be restored to the original voted 2 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 2025 through 2029 for fire protection, maintenance, and equipment, raising an estimated $443,806 in the first year the millage is levied?
HEATH Road Improvement Millage. Shall Heath Township impose an increase of up to 3 mills ($3.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2029 for Township road improvements, which will raise an estimated $ 665,709 in the first year the millage is levied?
HOPKINS TOWNSHIP
HOPKINS Millage for Road Improvements. Shall the expiring previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of 2 mills ($2.00 per each $1,000 of taxable value), and reduced by required millage rollback, be renewed at up to the original voted 2 mills ($2.00 per each $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 4 years, 2025 through 2028 inclusive, for township road improvements, thereby raising in the first year an estimated $210,000?
LAKETOWN TOWNSHIP
LAKETOWN Fire, Road, Bicycle Path and Drain Millage Renewal. Shall an expiring increase in property taxes be renewed for 2024 and 2025, in the amount of 2.0 mills ($2.00 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation) for all property for operating funds and equipment and apparatus acquisition funds for the Fire Department; to provide funds for the repair, construction, reconstruction and/or blacktopping of roads and bicycle paths in the Township; and to provide funds for the repair and maintenance of drains in the Township; if the millage is approved, the first year will garner approximately $1,198,000.
LEIGHTON TOWNSHIP
LEIGHTON Fire and Police Protection Services. Shall Leighton Township restore the millage of 2.5 mills ($2.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2024 through 2028, to provide funds for police and fire protection and emergency services, and the provision and maintenance of fire protection and emergency services equipment and vehicles? All or a portion of the revenues from this millage will be disbursed to the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department or other governmental agency for police services within Leighton Township and the Leighton Township Fire Department or other governmental agency for fire protection and emergency services within Leighton Township.
LEIGHTON Road Millage. Shall Leighton Township increase the tax rate to restore the millage of 2.0 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) on taxable property for 2024 through 2028, for the purpose of providing funds for public road construction, improvement, and maintenance? If approved and levied, this millage would raise an estimated $723,775 in the first year of the levy. All or a portion of the revenues from this millage will be disbursed to the Allegan County Road Commission or other governmental agency for public road construction, improvement, and maintenance within Leighton Township.
SALEM TOWNSHIP
SALEM Renewal of Road Millage. Shall the previously voted increase restore up to 5.0 mills ($5.00 per $1,000 of taxable value), for 2025 through 2030 for township road improvements, raising an estimated $1,282,480 in the first year that the millage is levied?
VALLEY TOWNSHIP
VALLEY Millage for Fire Protection. Shall the previous voted increase be renewed at 1 mill ($1 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2028 for township fire protection, search and rescue and ambulance; thereby, raising in the first year an estimated $116, 051.00?
VALLEY Extra Voted Millage for Road Improvements. Shall the previous voted increase be renewed at 1 mill ($1 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2028 for township road improvements; thereby, raising in the first year an estimated $116,051.00?
WATSON TOWNSHIP
WATSON Dust Control and Road Maintenance. Shall the expired previous voted increase of 0.75 mill ($0.75 per $1,000 of taxable value), be renewed at up to 0.6638 mills ($0.6638 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2028 inclusive for the purpose of dust control, road improvements, and maintenance of local public roads; thereby, raising in the first year an estimated $59,078?
WAYLAND TOWNSHIP
WAYLAND Fire Protection and Ambulance Services. Shall the tax be increased by 1.0 mills ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levy it for 2024 through 2028 for the purpose of funding fire protection and ambulance services and pay it to the City of Wayland under contractor or to such other contractor selected by the Township Board; the 1.0-mill increase will raise an estimated $241,816 in the first year that the millage is levied?
WAYLAND Road Millage. Shall Wayland Township impose a millage of 1.0 mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2025 through 2028 for the purpose of funding road improvements, which 1.0-mill increase will raise an estimated $241,816 in the first year that the millage is levied?
WAYLAND Funding of Waste Reduction Programs and for the Collection of Materials for Recycling. To continue and expand solid waste reduction programs under the Allegan County Solid Waste Management Plan, shall Allegan County impose an annual surcharge on all households in the amount of $50 per household per year for a period of 2024-2028 to cover operational costs of the programs and to be distributed to Allegan County to fund the collection of materials for recycling including, but not limited to, recyclable materials, household hazardous wastes, tires, batteries, and electronics, as provided in the Allegan County Solid Waste Management Plan?
CITY OF SOUTH HAVEN
South Haven Recreational Millage. Shall the authorized charter millage of the City of South Haven, Van Buren and Allegan Counties, Michigan, established at 15.00 mills be increased in an amount not to exceed 0.5 mills ($0.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) for 2024 through 2028, for the purpose of acquiring, maintaining, and improving parks and other recreational areas and to fund recreational programming? If authorized, an estimated $297,653.18 will be raised in its first year. A portion of the millage funds may be disbursed to the South Haven Area Recreation Authority, and to the extent required by law, a portion of the tax levy will be captured by and disbursed to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Downtown Development Authority, and Local Development Finance Authorities of the City of South Haven.
ALLEGAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Operating Millage Renewal Proposal will allow the school district to continue 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 renews millage that will expire with the 2024 tax levy. Shall the taxes be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, for 2025 and 2026, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved, and 18 mills are levied in 2025 is approximately $3,939,057?
BLOOMINGDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 16
Operating Millage Renewal Proposal will allow the school district to continue 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 renews millage for a period of 6 years, 2025 to 2030, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2025 is approximately $2,067,246?
FENNVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Operating Millage Proposal will allow the school district to continue 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 for a period of 2025 to 2028, and also be increased by .5 mill ($0.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for 2025 to 2028, for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2025 is approximately $3,948,913?
VAN BUREN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Special Education Millage Renewal will permit the intermediate school district to continue to levy special education millage previously approved. Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of 0.8955 mill ($0.8955 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Van Buren Intermediate School District, for 2025 to 2029; the estimate revenue if the millage is approved and levied in 2025 is approximately $4,506,437?
CHARLES A RANSOM DISTRICT LIBRARY
Library Millage Renewal Proposal Shall the Charles A. Ransom District Library, Counties of Allegan and Kalamazoo, be authorized to levy a renewal not to exceed .58 mill ($0.58 per each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the Charles A. Ransom District Library district in perpetuity beginning with the 2025 levy, for the purpose of providing funds for all district library purposes authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue in the first year of levy (2025) is approximately $350,000. By law, a portion of the revenue from the millage may be subject to capture by the City of Plainwell’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.
