Tag Archives: renewal

Kelloggsville seeks renewal of non-homestead, impacts businesses, second homes

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Hard News, ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

The renewal of the 18 mills will support Kelloggsville’s day-to-day operations . (WKTV)

Residents in the Kelloggsville Public School District are being asked to renew the district’s non-residential (non-homestead) operating millage, which would generate about $3.7 million or 13% of the district’s annual operating budget.

“The operating millage provides critical funds to support the day-to-day operations of our schools, including, but not limited to staffing costs, instructional programs, instructional materials, transportation and maintenance,” said Kelloggsville Assistant Superintendent Eric Alcorn.

The proposal would renew taxes on business properties and second homes. It would not cost the owners of a primary residence any additional taxes.

If approved, the proposal would allow the district to continue to levy its full 18 mills and restore millage lost by the reduction required by the Headlee amendment to the Michigan Constitution. 

Headlee Amendment

Passed in 1978, the Headlee Amendment created a process for the reduction of mileage rates (the Headlee Rollback) to ensure that total municipal tax revenue could grow only at the rate of inflation, plus new construction.

In 1994, Michigan voters approved Proposal A that structured public school funding as six mills on all properties and 18 mills on non-residential properties, such as second homes and businesses. Voter approval is required for a district such as Kelloggsville to levy the full 18 mills on non-residential properties.

Failure to authorize the operating millage proposal would decrease Kelloggsville’s state School Aid Foundation allowance by an approximate $3.7 million dollars. The State of Michigan will not replace the lost funding due to a non-approval.

Kelloggsville voters reauthorized the non-homestead millage in 2021 for two years. The May 2 proposal would reauthorize the millage through 2025.

Kentwood, Kelloggsville voters approve millage renewals

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , ,

WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Voters for both Kentwood Public Schools and Kelloggsville Public Schools passed millage renewal requests for their respected districts at yesterday’s election.

Kentwood Public Schools was seeking a renewal of its current 10-year operating millage, an assessment of 18 mills on non-homestead properties. The millage would be renewed through 2029. Voters approved the renewal 3198 to 786.

The millage provides approximately 16.9 percent, or more than $18.2 million, of the school district’s annual operating budget.

Kelloggsville voters were asked to renew the district’s operating millage, an assessment of 17 mills on non-homestead properties, and to increase that millage by .5 or 50 cents per $1,000 taxable valuation. The proposal passed 301 to 154.

The increase, according to the ballot language, is to help restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the “Headlee” amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963. The additional millage would raise about $2.6 million for the district in 2020. The Kelloggsville millage proposal is for two years. 

Godwin voters will head to the polls today to vote on renewal of operating millage

Citizen Journalism, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

The second Tuesday of the month is always the primary election and while this year is certainly not as busy as the 2017 primary election, there is one issue on the ballot that Godwin Heights Public Schools is rallying voters in its district to get out and vote on.

 

The school district is seeking a renewal of its operating millage. The proposal would allow the district to continue to levy a rate not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except primary residences and other property exempted by law, required to receive the state per pupil foundation allowance.

 

According to school officials this is not a new tax and it is not a tax on primary residences. If you can answer no to owning commercial/industrial property, vacation property, rental property or a second home in the Godwin Heights area, then the non-homestead property tax does not apply to you, according to school officials.

 

The proposal does include an additional three mills to help recover reductions from the Headlee rollback. The Headlee rollback was approved in 1978 by Michigan voters and provides provisions on state and local taxes.

 

The request is for 10 years. The estimated revenue in the first year for the district is about $2.94 million.

 

Those voting on the Godwin Heights proposal are in the following city precincts: Precincts 1 and 2 are voting at the Godwin Physical Education Building, 31 36th St. SW; Precinct 3 are voting at Gethsemane Lutheran, 3152 Clyde Park SW; Precinct 5 are voting at the Grand Valley Armory, 1200 44th St. SW; Precinct 9 are voting at the Kentwood Community Church, 2950 Clyde Park SW; and Precinct 19 are voting at the KDL Wyoming Library Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW. Polls for the primary election will be open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.