ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MICH (May 1, 2014) – Education funding will be a major issue facing voters across St. Joseph County when they head to the polls on Tuesday.
Bonding proposals and education millages will be on the ballot in several townships.
The ballot language is below, taken from the St. Joseph County website:
*Special Education Millage Proposal (Restoration of Headlee Reduction) all Precincts in St. Joseph County; Matteson and Sherwood Townships in Branch County; and Mason, Newberg and Porter Townships in Cass County
*Bonding Proposal – White Pigeon Community Schools Constantine, Florence, Mottville, Sherman and White Pigeon Townships; and Mason, Newberg and Porter Townships in Cass County
*Bonding Proposal – Marcellus Community Schools Flowerfield Township
*Regional Enhancement Millage Renewal Proposal (KRESA) Leonidas, Mendon and Park Townships
*Bonding Proposal – Vicksburg Community Schools Leonidas, Mendon and Park Townships
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 St. Joseph County Intermediate School District, Michigan, be increased by .2946 mill ($0.2946 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation), for a period of 20 years, 2014 to 2033, inclusive (this increase will allow the intermediate school district to levy the maximum rate of 2.75 mills previously approved by the electors which 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 2013 is approximately $633,488 from local property taxes authorized herein?
WHITE PIGEON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS BONDING PROPOSAL
Shall White Pigeon Community Schools, St. Joseph and Cass Counties, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed One Million Six Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($1,675,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, for the purpose of:
acquiring, installing and equipping school facilities for technology; partially remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing, equipping and re-equipping school facilities, in part, for technology and security purposes; and purchasing school buses?
The following is for informational purposes only:
The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2014 is 1 mill ($1.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is five (5) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 1 mill ($1.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).
The school district does not expect to borrow from the State to pay debt service on the bonds. The total amount of qualified bonds currently outstanding is -0-. The total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is -0-. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.
(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)
MARCELLUS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS BONDING PROPOSAL
Shall Marcellus Community Schools, Cass, St. Joseph and VanBuren Counties, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Twelve Million Eight Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($12,875,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, for the purpose of:
erecting, furnishing, and equipping additions to and remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing, and equipping and re-equipping school buildings; acquiring and installing instructional technology in school buildings; purchasing school buses; and developing, improving, and equipping playgrounds and sites?
The following is for informational purposes only:
The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2014, under current law, is 3.73 mills ($3.73 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is eighteen (18) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 5.77 mills ($5.77 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).
The school district does not expect to borrow from the State to pay debt service on the bonds. The total amount of qualified bonds currently outstanding is $350,000. The total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is $-0-. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.
(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)
KALAMAZOO REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AGENCY (KRESA)
REGIONAL ENHANCEMENT MILLAGE – RENEWAL PROPOSAL
Pursuant to state law, the revenue raised by the proposed millage will be collected by the intermediate school district and distributed to local public school districts based on pupil membership count.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Kalamazoo RegionalEducational Service Agency, Michigan, be increased by 1.5 mills ($1.50 on each $1,000.00) on taxable valuation for a period of 3 years, 2014, 2015 and 2016, to provide operating funds to enhance other state and local funding for local school district operating purposes; if approved, the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect in 2014, is approximately $10,858,962 (this is a renewal of millage which expired with the 2013 tax levy?
VICKSBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOLS BOND PROPOSAL
Shall Vicksburg Community Schools, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph Counties, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Fifteen Million Four Hundred Eighty-Five Thousand Dollars ($15,485,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, for the purpose of:
remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing, and equipping and re-equipping school buildings; acquiring, installing and equipping instructional technology for school district buildings, together with related infrastructure improvements; and developing and improving sites?
The following is for informational purposes only”
The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2014 is 1.5 mills ($1.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding for any single series, exclusive of any refunding, is eleven (11) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.79 mills ($2.79 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, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)
