Whitehall District Schools voters approved the school's operating
millage renewal Tuesday in a special election, enabling the district to
collect its full state per-pupil funding.
Voters gave their
approval to the millage, which will comprise budget years 2026-35, with
58.5 percent of the vote, with 3,019 voters casting their ballots. The
millage renewal previously was voted down in November, and the district
made efforts to improve its messaging on the millage this time,
emphasizing its necessity to the school's budget.
By state
law, school districts must collect 18 mills ($18 per $1,000 of taxable
value) on non-homestead property to receive its full allotment of state
funding. Had the millage failed, the district would've had to consider
cuts of about 10% of its budget to account for the $4 million-plus in
funding it receives via the millage.
The ballot language
stated up to 20 mills could be collected, though the district said this
was to account for potential Headlee amendment rollbacks; it said the
district missed out on some funding in the past due to rollbacks
knocking the millage collected below the 18 required by law.
"Thank you to the WDS community for your support in passing the renewal
of our operating millage yesterday," the district said in a statement on Facebook. "We are grateful for the support and
look forward to working together to create the best possible educational
experience for our students."
Elsewhere in Muskegon County,
voters narrowly turned down a proposal from the county museum, which
would have levied 0.31 mills for the next 20 years to fund museum
upgrades, renovations and updates. Of 27,077 voters, 54 percent rejected
the millage request.
In Muskegon Charter Township, voters
narrowly turned down a 10-year millage increase from 2.6802 to 5.25
mills with 52.6 percent of 2,355 voters saying no. The millage was
intended to fund the operation and maintenance of police, fire and other
public safety services.
"The majority of the funding for both
the police and fire departments
came from the public safety millage that has expired," Muskegon Township
Firefighters Local 4132 stated in a Facebook post. "We will continue
to respond to your calls for service to the best of our abilities, and
regroup for another attempt to secure the necessary funding to continue
to respond."
Voters in that township did, though, narrowly
approve a smaller 0.7-mill request to fund upgrades and operation of
street lighting. Of 2,353 voters, 52.2 percent approved the request.
