Most townships in Manistee County will only have one item to decide today: whether to renew, for 8 years, West Shore Community College's operating millage. According to Lindsey Marquardt, chief deputy county clerk, the college district encompasses almost all of Manistee County. About 75 voters in Springdale Township will vote at Maple Grove Township and were notified of their special polling location via letter, a couple of weeks ago. Cleon Township does not fall into the college district.
Just a few townships will have additional ballot items, including Bear Lake Township, Filer Charter Township, Onekama Township and Stronach Township. Polls are open until 8pm tonight.
Bear Lake Township (including Village residents) will decide whether to approve a millage that would pay for new fire department vehicles and related equipment. Larry Gibson, chairman of the Friends of Bear Lake Township Fire Department group (FOBLTFD), which urges a "Yes" vote, talked with the
Three Pines Gander about the millage proposal.
Click green arrow button to play audio, below
Gibson's group has distributed a pro-millage card, seen below.
An opponent to the proposal is Tony Merrill, former Pleasanton Township supervisor and currently member of the Pleasanton Planning Commission. He placed the following ad in the
Manistee News Advocate over the weekend. He could not be reached for comment.
The text of the ballot items is below, as found at the county clerk's website.
BEAR LAKE TOWNSHIP
Proposal For Replacing Fire Department Vehicles and Equipment Millage
This proposal will permit the Township to levy up to .75 mills for the purpose of
providing funds for the purchase of fire department vehicles and related equipment.
Shall the limitation on the amount of ad valorem taxes which may be levied by the
Township of Bear Lake, Manistee County, Michigan, against taxable property in the
Township be increased by up to .75 mills ($0.75 per $1,000 of taxable value) for a period
of five (5) years, 2013 through 2017, inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for the
purchase of fire department vehicles and related equipment, and shall the Township levy
such millage for these purposes? If approved and levied in its entirety, this millage would
raise an estimated $55,650 for the Township in 2013.
YES
NO
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF FILER
PROPOSITION 1: Garbage and Trash Disposal – Renewal
Shall the Charter Township of Filer, Manistee County, Michigan, increase the
constitutional limitation on the total amount of general ad valorem taxes imposed upon
real and tangible personal property for all purposes in the Charter Township of Filer,
Manistee County, Michigan, by an additional one (1) mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable
valuation) and levy an additional one (1) mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) for
a period of five (5) years (2013-2017, inclusive) for garbage and trash removal within the
Charter Township of Filer? (This is a renewal of the one (1) mill for garbage and trash
removal, which expired in 2012; if approved, it is estimated that the revenue generated by
this proposal in the first year would be $169,214.)
YES
NO
PROPOSITION 2: Fire Department Operation – Renewal
Shall the Charter Township of Filer, Manistee County, Michigan, increase the
constitutional limitation on the total amount of general ad valorem taxes imposed upon
real and tangible personal property for all purposes in the Charter Township of Filer,
Manistee County, Michigan, by an additional one-half (1/2) mill ($.50 per $1,000 of
taxable valuation) and levy an additional one-half (1/2) mill ($.50 per $1,000 of taxable
valuation) for a period of five (5) years (2013-2017, inclusive) for township fire and
rescue operations within the Charter Township of Filer? (This is a renewal of the one-half
(1/2) mill for township fire and rescue operations which expired in 2012; if approved, it is
estimated that the revenue generated by this proposal in the first year would be $84,607.)
YES
NO
PROPOSITION 3: Fire Department Equipment Millage-New
Shall the Charter Township of Filer, Manistee County, Michigan, increase the
constitutional limitation on the total amount of general ad valorem taxes imposed upon
real and tangible personal property for all purposes in the Charter Township of Filer,
Manistee County, Michigan, by an additional one-quarter (1/4) mill ($.25 per $1,000 of
taxable valuation) and levy an additional one-quarter (1/4) mill ($.25 per $1,000 of
taxable valuation) for a period of five (5) years (2013 through 2017, inclusive) for
purposes of acquiring, furnishing, installing, attaching, repairing, replacing, financing and
maintaining township fire and rescue equipment, including vehicles, and all
appurtenances and attachments thereto, within the Charter Township of Filer? (This is a
request for a new one-quarter (1/4) mill for township fire and rescue equipment; if
approved, it is estimated that the revenue generated by this proposal in the first year
would be $44,309.93.)
YES
NO
ONEKAMA TOWNSHIP
Onekama Township Fire/Rescue Millage Renewal Proposition
Shall the previously voted increase in the tax limitation imposed by Section 6, Article IX
of the Michigan Constitution of 1963 on general ad valorem taxes within Onekama
Township, Manistee County, Michigan, be renewed at one (1) mill of the taxable value of
all property in Onekama Township ($1.00 per $1,000.00 of taxable value) for a period of
five (5) years, 2014-2018, inclusive, for the purpose of funding Onekama Township’s
fire-rescue department operating, capital improvement and capital acquisition purposes,
including the purchase of fire fighting and emergency response equipment; and shall
Onekama Township levy such renewal in millage for said purpose, thereby, raising in the
first year an estimated $143,486.00? This is a renewal of the previously authorized one
(1) mill for fire-rescue department operating, capital improvement and capital acquisition
purposes, including the purchase of fire fighting and emergency response equipment,
which expires in 2013.
YES
NO
WEST SHORE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
OPERATING MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSTION
This proposition is to renew millage for community college operating purposes which
expires with the 2013 tax levy.
Shall the previous voted increase in the constitutional tax rate limitation on the amount of
taxes imposed upon all property within the community college district of West Shore
Community College, Michigan, be renewed in the amount of .7062 mill ($0.7062 on each
$1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of eight (8) years, 2014 through 2021, inclusive,
subject to reduction as provided by law, to provide funds for community college
operating purposes (estimated to provide revenues of approximately $1,997,000 in
2014)?
There are tax increment authorities in the community college district that capture and
retain for authorized purposes tax increment revenues from property taxes levied by the
community college. Such capture would include a portion of this millage levy. The total
amount of captured tax increment revenues from such millage in the first calendar year of
the levy is estimated to be $45,000. The following tax increment authorities in the
community college district presently capture a portion of the community college’s
property tax levy: the Downtown Development Authorities of the City of Manistee and
Filer Charter Township; and the City of Scottville and Mason County Brownfield
Redevelopment Authority.
YES
NO
MASON COUNTY EASTERN DISTRICT
(STRONACH TOWNSHIP ONLY)
OPERATING MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL
This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the
statutory maximum rate of 18 mills on all property, except principal
residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school
district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance and renews
millage that will expire with the 2013 tax levy.
Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of 19.2595 mills ($19.2595 on each
$1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all
property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Mason
County Eastern District, Mason, Lake and Manistee Counties, Michigan, be renewed for
a period of 20 years, 2014 to 2033, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the
estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and
levied in 2014 is approximately $1,443,547 (this is a renewal of millage which will
expire with the 2013 tax levy)?
YES
NO
