There are six local questions asking for more taxes on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot. They are:
REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY
1.2 MILLS
A Proposal Authorizing the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan (RTA) to Levy an Assessment.
The proposal would authorize the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan (RTA) to levy within Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties a property tax assessment:
• at a rate of 1.2 mills ($1.20 per $1,000 of taxable value);
• for 20 years beginning in 2016 and ending in 2035;
• that may not be increased, renewed, or used for other purposes without direct voter approval; and
• to be used upon the affirmative vote of an RTA board member from each RTA member jurisdiction for the purpose of construction and operation of a public transportation system connecting Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties, including rapid transit bus routes across county lines, specialized service for senior citizens and people with disabilities, commuter rail, airport express service, and other public transportation purposes permitted by law, consistent with RTA bylaws and subject to he limitations of the Regional Transit Authority Act.
If this new additional assessment is approved and levied, revenue will be disbursed to the RTA. It is estimated that $160,907,285 will be collected in the first year.
Should this assessment be approved?
Yes ___ No ___
CHARTER TOWNSHIP
OF VAN BUREN
PUBLIC SAFETY MILLAGE
6.5 mills
Shall the Charter Township of Van Buren, Wayne County, Michigan assess a 6.5 mill levy to provide funds for public safety services, including: police; fire; dispatch; emergency management; and ordinance enforcement? The 6.5 mill ($6.50 per $1,000 taxable value) is to be levied against all property within the Township, pursuant to 1947 PA 359, as amended, for a period of seven years beginning December 2017 through December 2023, inclusive, which would be approximately $6,421,136 when first levied in December 2017, less the estimated tax captures: Downtown Development Authority in the amount of $293,084 (pursuant to 1975 PA 197, as amended); and Local Development finance Authority in the amount of $128,266 (pursuant to 1986 PA 281, as amended). If approved, this new millage would replace a previously authorized police and fire services millage that expires December 2016.
Yes ___ No ___
VAN BUREN PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSITION EXEMPTING PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE AND OTHER HOMESTEAD PROPERTY
18 MILLS
This millage will (1) allow the school district to levy not more than the statutory rate of 18.0000 mills on all property except homestead property as required for the school district to continue to receive its full per pupil foundation allowance and (2) provide an additional 2.0000 mills in the event of future Headlee rollbacks to continue to allow the school district to receive the full foundation allowance permitted by the state.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all taxable property, except principal residence and other homestead property as defined by law, in Van Buren Public Schools, Counties of Wayne and Washtenaw, State of Michigan, be increased to 20.0000 mills ($20.00 on each $1,000 of taxable value) for eight (8) years, calendar years 2017 to 2024, inclusive? It is estimated that the revenue the school district will collect is the millage is approved and 18.0000 mills are levied in the 2017 calendar year will be approximately $9,091,374 from the local taxes authorized in this proposal. Revenues will be disbursed to Van Buren Public Schools for the purpose of providing funds for the operating expenses of the District.
Yes ___ No ___
BELLEVILLE AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY
I. BONDING PROPOSITION
0.75 MILL
Shall the Belleville Area District Library, formed by City of Belleville, Charter Township of Van Buren, and Township of Sumpter, each in the County of Wayne, State of Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Fourteen Million Dollars ($14,000,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds for all or a portion of that amount for the purpose of constructing, furnishing and equipping a new building for library purposes; constructing renovations to, furnishing and refurnishing and equipping and re-equipping an existing building for library purposes; and acquiring, developing and improving sites for library buildings?
The following is for informational purposes only:
The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2017, is 0.75 mill ($0.75 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding exclusive of any refunding, is twenty-one (21) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 0.68 mill ($0.68 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).
(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)
Yes ___ No ___
BELLEVILLE AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY
II. DISTRICT LIBRARY OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL
0.75 MILL
This proposal will allow the District Library to levy additional millage in the City of Belleville, Charter Township of Van Buren, and Township of Sumpter for library operating purposes.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all taxable property within the geographic boundaries of the Belleville Area District Library, Wayne County, Michigan, be increased by 0.75 mill ($0.75 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 20 years, 2017 to 2036, inclusive to provide funds for library operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the District Library will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2017 is approximately $1,051,307, of which the District Library will receive $947,859 and the following entities will capture a portion of the revenues: Belleville Downtown Development Authority ($18,398), Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority ($56,350), and Van Buren Township Local Development Financing Authority ($28,701)?
Yes ___ No ___
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGIONAL ENHANCEMENT MILLAGE PROPOSAL
2 MILLS
Pursuant to state law, the revenue raised by the proposed enhancement millage will be collected by the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency and distributed to local public school districts within the boundaries of the Wayne County Regional Educations Service Agency based on pupil membership count.
Shall the limitation on the amount of ad valorem taxes which may be imposed on taxable property in the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency, Michigan, be increased by 2.00 mills ($2.00 per thousand dollars of taxable value) for a period of six (6) years, 2016 to 2021, inclusive, as new additional millage to provide operating funds to enhance other state and local funding for local school district operating purposes? It is estimated that 2 mills would raise approximately $80,000,000 when first levied in 2016.
The revenue from this millage will be disbursed to the following school districts:
Allen Park Public Schools, Crestwood School District, Dearborn City School District, Dearborn Heights School District #7, Detroit Public Schools Community District, Ecorse Public School District, Flat Rock Community Schools, School District of the City of Garden City, Gibraltar School District, Grosse Ile Township Schools, The Grosse Pointe Public School System, Hamtramck Public Schools, City of Harper Woods Schools, School District of the City of Highland Park, Huron School District, School District of the City of Lincoln Park, Livonia Public Schools, Melvindale-Northern Allen Park Schools, Northville Public Schools, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, Redford Union School District, River Rouge School District, Riverview Community School District, Romulus Community Schools, Southgate Community School District, South Redford School District, Taylor School District, Trenton Public Schools, Van Buren Public Schools, Wayne-Westland Community School District, Westwood Community Schools, Woodhaven-Brownstown School District, Wyandotte City School District.
Yes ___ No ___