Extended senior millage on August ballot

MONROE — A change is coming to the primary ballot on August 6 as citizens will cast their votes for a duration increase to the county senior millage.

While the .75 mill amount will remain the same, the Monroe County Commission on Aging has recommended that the millage be extended to run for 10 years instead of four. This was supported by the Every 9th American Committee and the ballot proposal was approved by the Board of Commissioners in March 2024.

“When we look at funding, stability of funding provides for a long-term strategic plan… which I think is a good model for any organization,” said Board of Commissioners administrator Michael Bosanac.

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The millage provides funding for 17 non-profit organizations in the county that provide services for senior citizens (anyone 60 years or older) in private homes, including food and transportation.

The number of senior citizens in Monroe County (now totaled at 41,001 according to Sandie Pierce, director at Monroe Center for Healthy Aging) who use these services has increased over the years, hitting a record 8,509 in 2023. Jason Berry, the director of the Commission on Aging , thinks this number will only get higher thanks to the increasing prices on goods and services.

“I’ve had (senior citizens) tell me it’s cheaper, that they’re able to subsidize and balance their funds better with these services available,” he said.

— Contact reporter Connor Veenstra at CVeenstra@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Extended senior millage on August ballot