LANSING – Michigan voters mostly were in a generous mood when it came to approving new funding Tuesday for their schools and local governments, approving about three-quarters of property tax increase proposals.
Voters, as expected, also overwhelmingly approved all tax renewal proposals except for one providing fire service in Muskegon County’s Egelston Township.
However, some notable school bond proposals to raise money for major infrastructure initiatives went down to defeat with voters in the Farmington and Lake Orion school districts rejecting such measures.
Results for a handful of proposals were not yet available, but of those with results, 30 proposed local government or school district tax increases passed while 11 failed.
On renewals, out of available results, voters passed 31 and rejected just one.
Of the seven school bond proposals with available results, just two passed.
Some of the more notable results:
Pennfield Township in Calhoun County approved a 1.5 mill increase for public safety, 966-484;
Haslett schools passed a 1.25 mill sinking fund for infrastructure, 1,135-893;
Northwestern Michigan College voters rejected a millage increase of 0.4042 mills;
Lafayette Township in Gratiot County passed a 2.5 mill increase for roads and bridges;
Dwight Township in Huron County rejected a 2 mill increase for roads, 20-32;
Harrison Township in Macomb County approved a 0.5 mill increase for fire protection, 1,855-1,594, but rejected a 0.5 mill increase for library services, 1,706-1,754;
Farmington schools voters turned down a $222 million school bond proposal, 7,084-8,043;
Lake Orion schools voters rejected a $28.7 million school bond proposal, 3,517-4,965;
Ypsilanti Township voters approved four property tax increases for a total increase of 12.23 mills (general operations, fire, police and garbage). Each proposal passed comfortably;
Allen Park, currently under a state-appointed emergency manager, saw voters approve a 3.25-mill increase for police, 5,114-2,164.
