Absentee ballots will be available beginning June 27. Because there are state legislature positions up for election, early voting opportunities must be provided. They will run Saturday, July 27, through Sunday, Aug. 4.
Below is a list of millage proposals for Holland area voters. For a full list of proposals for both counties, visit miottawa.org and allegancounty.org.
Ottawa County voters to decide on extending road millage
A 10-year, 0.4578 mill renewal of the county’s road millage will appear on the August ballot. The levy would run from 2025-2034, generating funds for road repairs.
Although the proposal is to renew the millage for another 10 years, the tax rate requested in August is lower than the one approved in 2014. The original millage levied 0.5 mills, but has been reduced over the years by Headlee Amendment rollbacks to 0.4767 mills.
Headlee Amendment rollbacks occur when the assessed value of taxable property increases by more than the rate of inflation.
With another rollback expected, voters will be asked to approve the renewal at 0.4578, which is approximately 46 cents per every $1,000 of taxable value on a home. It would be expected to generate $7.1 million in the first year.
Two countywide proposals in Allegan
Allegan County voters will see renewals for the county’s road millage and a 911 operating surcharge.
The county road millage has existed, in some form, since 1968. If approved in August, the millage would extend by six years, from 2024 to 2029.
The proposal would renew a 0.9654 expired levy and restore another 0.0346 mills that were lost to Headlee Amendment rollbacks, for a total of 1 mill. That's expected to generate about $6.1 million in the first year.
Funds will go toward “resurfacing, preservation and related preparation of primary roads."
Voters will also decide on extending the county’s surcharge for funding emergency 911 services. The current surcharge remains in effect through Dec. 31.
The renewal would remain in effect until the Emergency 911 Service Enabling Act of 1986 is repealed or through Dec. 31, 2025, whichever comes first.
The monthly surcharge would not exceed $3 on the billings of communication service suppliers. Funds would go toward 911 emergency call services and dispatches, including facilities, equipment and operations.
Laketown’s fire, road, bicycle path and drain millage up for renewal
Residents of Laketown Township will vote on a two-year renewal of a tax that funds several operations.
The levy of 2 mills provides funding for operations, equipment and apparatus acquisition for the Graafschap Fire Department; the repair, construction, reconstruction and blacktopping of roads and bicycle paths; and repair and maintenance of drains.
If approved, the proposal would continue the levy in 2024 and 2025 and generate an estimated $1.198 million in the first year.
Fire and road renewals in Heath Township
Heath Township is asking voters to reauthorize a millage for fire services and increase and extend a millage for road improvements.
Voters are asked to reauthorize and restore the fire improvement millage, reduced to 1.9603 mills through rollbacks, to 2 mills for a five-year period, 2025-2029. It’s estimated to raise $443,806 in the first year.
The township’s road millage was last renewed in 2020 at a total of 2.5 mills, running through 2024. This year’s ballot proposes an increase up to 3 mills. It would be levied from 2025-2029 and is estimated to raise $665,709 in the first year.
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FPS seeks operating millage renewal
Fennville Public Schools will have its operating millage on the August ballot. Every public district in Michigan is required to have an operating millage in order to receive full state funding. The 18-mill tax is levied against non-homestead properties, which doesn't include primary residences.
Fennville is asking voters to approve the levy for four years, from 2025-2028. The proposal includes an increase of 0.5 mills to protect against Headlee Amendment rollbacks.
School districts are allowed to request more than 18 mills, but can't actually levy that much. The operating millage is expected to generate more than $3.9 million for FPS in 2025.
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.
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