Tuesday, May 6 marks voting day for this spring's special elections, which feature a countywide museum millage proposal and Whitehall District Schools' operating millage.
Every precinct in Muskegon County will be voting on the museum millage proposal. The ballot language for the proposal asks voters whether to approve an additional millage of 0.31 mills (31 cents for each $1,000 of taxable value) for the next 20 years to provide funding for the Muskegon Museum of History and Science. According to the ballot language, the millage would fund the construction of new museum space, renovations to the existing museum, new furniture, equipment and fixtures, and exhibit updates. The county would collect approximately $1.9 million in total revenue for the millage in 2025 if it is approved.
Also on the ballot in Whitehall District Schools precincts is the school's operating millage for 2026-35, back on the ballot again after voters turned it down in November. The operating millage's approval to collect 18 mills from non-homestead properties - primary residences are exempted - is necessary for the school district to obtain its full per-pupil funding from the state.
While the ballot language calls for the district to obtain up to 20 mills on non-homestead properties, the district said only a maximum of 18 mills will be collected; the higher number is to account for potential Headlee amendment rollbacks. The 18 mills, if approved, would result in $4,178,297 being directed to the school in budget year 2026.
Muskegon Charter Township has two other items on its election ballots - a public safety funding millage request and a street lighting funding millage request.
The public safety millage, if approved, would increase the millage from the current rate of 2.6802 mills to 5.25 mills for the next 10 years. The ballot language says the millage would fund the operation and maintenance of police, fire and other public safety services in the township. It would also increase the limitation of ad valorem taxes (levied on all non-exempt properties). The total revenue for 2025 would be $2.736 million.
A smaller millage request asks for a five-year renewal of a 0.7-mill funding of upgrades and operation of street lighting; the ballot language estimates that $365,000 in total would be collected this year.
