Hartland’s school Millage renewal vote 2023 - the facts
3/11/23
The Non Homestead millage renewal vote on May 2nd is a concern for everyone in our community.
A solid public school system protects everyone's investments in their property by protecting property values. It protects basic services that we all use by keeping the tax base solid.
It also keeps good people in the community to do regular jobs like police, fire, auto mechanics, local businesses, restaurants, etc.
The quickest way to destroy the community is to destroy the schools. You don't need to have kids in school to benefit by its renewal or to be hurt by the non-passage of this.
Non-renewal for what? To give businesses a tax break at the expense of the community right now and the harm to them down the road.
The state provides funding based on a very specific equation based on student count day, but the other 18 mills have to be collected by the local community.
The ballot mentions an increase. Let’s explain this. The Michigan Constitution requires that millage rates be “rolled back” if taxable values increase more than the rate of inflation. As a result of this roll-back provision, the district is currently only able to levy 17.8939 mills instead of the full 18 mills.
The ballot is asking for voters to renew the 17.8939 mills and increase the .1061 mills in order to restore the millage rate back to the full 18 mills beginning with the 2023 levy.
This is not an increase to any taxes we already pay, this is an adjustment. When property taxes are readjusted yearly, they roll back for property values that change. When the property values adjust, there is a loss of about $30,000 a year. The renewal is to collect what was adjusted from our property values.
This renewal does not raise taxes, it reduces the taxes on businesses. What is the end game of all of this? To put money back into the pockets of businesses at the expense of our community and our children’s education.
Do not destroy our community. If voted no our schools will lose $5.5 million per year. That is $25 million over the course of 5 years. This will destroy Hartland!
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*The attached image is a mailer that was sent out to the community during this time.
