Macomb County voters will weigh in on several school bond proposals – Macomb Daily

Five Macomb County school districts are asking voters Nov. 5 to approve school bond proposals.

Bonds are a common way for school districts to finance construction costs and projects ranging from repairing old roofs and installing new security doors to improving athletic fields and purchasing school buses.

“The ballot may ask voters to approve a tax increase or approve an existing tax,” said Douglas Carr, an assistant professor of political science and director of the MPA program at Oakland University.

Van Dyke Public Schools is among the districts where voters are asking to support bonds.

“We need to replace two roofs immediately,” Van Dyke Public Schools Superintendent Piper Bognar said. “We also have windows and boilers (heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems) that need to be replaced, and we will be installing a turf field.”

It is for this reason that the school is putting the question of a zero or no tax increase before voters; to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $36,170,000.

“Our community has always been incredibly supportive, so we’re hopeful, but hope is not a strategy, so we’ll continue to hear about zero increases,” Bognar said, noting that they’ve gone so far as to add a hotline number to respond to voters’ questions.

Essentially, the interest on school bonds is what the school district uses to pay off those bonds over time.

As Carr explains, this is achieved by increasing property taxes or extending the life of bonds.

Millage is calculated by looking at the taxable value of the home and multiplying it by the number of mills being levied. One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. If the levy is 0.95, then the tax rate on a home with a taxable value of $100,000 would be $95.

Tax-free bonds are a lot like a home equity loan.

By refinancing a loan with a mortgage company, a homeowner can gain access to cash. When a school district reaches the end of its bond repayment period, it can borrow more money by refinancing the bonds without taxpayers paying more than they currently do.

That’s why they can call it a tax-free bond.

“We’ve refinanced three times since I’ve been here,” Bognar said of the 2008 and 2015 bond proposals.

Memphis Public Schools Superintendent Sarah Dobbelaer said her district did its homework before placing the bond proposal on the Nov. 5 ballot.

“The final list of bond projects was compiled based on community and employee feedback through a series of focus panels and an online survey,” Dobbelaer said.

As a result of community and employee input, a $16.2 million tax rate bond proposal was proposed.

This will include approximately 100 projects aimed at improving safety and security, as well as improving educational spaces and facility infrastructure.

For safety reasons, the district hopes to replace outdated fire alarm panels, install additional key entry systems, replace doors, resurface select parking spaces and walkways and purchase new buses.

Updates to the education space include creating a dedicated robotics space, upgrading science labs and outfitting classrooms with digital displays and new furniture. A digital media studio and new sports training space will also be created.

Infrastructure improvements to facilities and school grounds include roof replacements, drainage upgrades and updated temperature control systems. Sports facilities will receive a new running track, expanded parking, updated press boxes and scoreboards.

Voters will find more information on the school district’s website at www.memphisk12.org. Dobbelaer is also available to speak with residents who have additional questions about the bond proposal by calling 810-535-8225 or emailing [email protected]).

Other school bond proposals include:

L’Anse Creuse public schools

The L’Anse Creuse Public Schools (LCPS) Board of Education approved placing a $188.7 million bond proposal without tax rate increases on the Nov. 5 ballot.

According to the district’s website, school officials worked with architectural and construction management specialists to identify immediate facility needs and program upgrades to determine draft bond proposals. The identified projects were grouped into four categories, including safety improvements, arts and athletics developments, and improvements to classrooms and technology, as well as school infrastructure and facilities.

The proposal is also a revised version of what was previously required of voters.

Voters rejected a previous request for a $330 million bond proposed to help aging facilities across the county. The proposed scope of the project has been extensive since the last LCPS bond proposal was made 19 years ago.

However, after the election, the public confirmed the need to update school facilities without increasing tax rates. Residents also questioned the size and scope of the projects that were supposed to be completed at one time. It is for these reasons that the county placed a revised, smaller bond on the ballot in the amount of $188.7 million.

For more information, visit lc-ps.org/community/bond-election-information/.

South Lake Schools

The county is asking voters to consider resuming current operations and maintaining safe communities on Election Day.

The protected tax is levied on principal residences, qualified agricultural and forestry properties, accessory housing properties, public school properties, and industrial and commercial personal property. While remaining harmless, districts in communities that spend more than the minimum funding per student can continue to do so. Michigan requires school districts to levy 18 homestead property taxes to receive the full benefit from the state.

South Lake Schools Superintendent Ted von Hiltmeyer said residents’ taxes would not increase if the proposals pass.

As an operating mill, the tax is levied on non-homestead properties such as businesses, qualified agricultural properties, vacation homes, investment properties and rental properties. There will be no impact on primary residences.

“If approved, the mills, which are non-homestead and non-harmful, would provide $5.3 million annually to the district, providing much-needed educational resources to ensure the growth and prosperity of our students. These funds are a vital part of the county budget, and without this support, significant program cuts would be necessary,” von Hiltmeier said. “By partnering with this community, our students have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Thanks to dollars provided through the Operations and Harm Prevention Funds, we ensure that South Lake facilities will be accessible and safe for our students and community.”

For more information, contact the Superintendent at [email protected] or visit solake.org.

Warren Consolidated Schools

The county’s current mill is due for renewal on Nov. 5, and the county is proposing a 10-year replacement.

“It is important that every member of the community understands the importance of our ongoing business. Every few years, we turn to our community to vote on an operating school, 79% of which is funded by businesses in our community and the remaining 21% by homeowners,” said Warren Unified Schools Superintendent John Bernia Jr.

As he explained, these expenses account for nearly 20% of the district’s operating budget and are primarily used for classroom instruction such as teachers, support staff and principals; books and materials; and programs such as athletics, fine and performing arts, and many other outstanding extracurricular activities.

“We are proud of our school board’s diligence in maintaining a balanced budget and reducing unnecessary expenses. We are asking the community to vote to keep this rate unchanged for the next 10 years to maintain opportunities for our students as we prepare them for college, vocational school, the workforce, etc. This replacement of the existing township does not mean a tax increase for owners of public houses at their main place of residence.”

For more information, contact the superintendent at 586-698-4044 or visit wcskids.net.