By Pat Maurer
Correspondent
Two Public School Districts in Clare County will also each have a proposal on the August 6th Primary Ballot.
The first will renew Farwell Area Schools Sinking Fund.
This proposal renews .4945 mill of building and site sinking fund millage previously approved by the electors and provides for additional millage.
With voter approval August 6th, the currently authorized millage rate limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Farwell Area Schools, Clare and Isabella Counties, Michigan, will be renewed by .4945 mill ($0.4945 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) and also be increased by .3055 mill ($0.3055 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a total of .8 mill, for a period of 4 years, 2025 to 2028, to continue to provide for a sinking fund for the purchase of real estate for sites for, and the construction or repair of, school buildings, for school security improvements, for the acquisition or upgrading of 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 2025 is approximately $425,732 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2024 levy and the addition of millage.
Clare Schools bond proposal will extend, but not increase the tax for the district’s current bond issue/tax levy
The School District Proposal – for Clare Schools, is a renewal/extension of the current tax on a bond issue for renovation, asking voters to approve borrowing twelve million, one hundred thousand dollars ($12,100,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds, in one or more series for the purpose of: partially remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing, and equipping and re-equipping school buildings, including remodeling for secure entrances/vestibules; erecting, furnishing, and equipping additions to the high school and primary school buildings; acquiring and installing instructional technology and instructional technology equipment for school buildings; purchasing school buses; and preparing, developing, equipping, and improving playgrounds and sites?.
The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2024 is 1.10 mills ($1.10 on each $$1,000 of taxable valuation) for a 0 (zero) net increase over the prior year’s levy. The maximum number of years the bonds of any series may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is fifteen (15) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.47 mills ($2.47 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).
Note: That is approximately the same as the current tax levy for Clare Schools current bond issue.
Gladwin Community Schools non-homestead millage
Gladwin Community Schools also has an operating Millage Proposal which will be on the August 6th ballot.
That proposal is for 18 mills on non-homestead properties – all property except principal residence and other property exempted by law in Gladwin Community Schools, Gladwin and Clare Counties to fund and receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance.
