Primary Election is Tuesday, August 6, 2024!

August 6, 2024, Primary Election Ballot Proposals

COUNTY

RENEWAL – DRUG ENFORCEMENT
MILLAGE
Shall there be approved a renewal of a 0.4751 mill levy in taxable valuation in Cass County on real and tangible personal property for a period of four (4) years commencing December 1, 2024, to be used in support of law enforcement, criminal justice, and public safety for the citizens of Cass County, including the areas of drug enforcement, prosecution, education, and treatment? It is estimated that the revenue collected as a result of this renewal in the first year will be $1,319,427.

MILLAGE PROPOSITION FOR SERVICES TO OLDER CITIZENS
This proposal will renew the current millage for senior services of 0.9827 mills.

Shall there be approved a renewal of a 0.9827 mill levy in taxable valuation in Cass County over and above the fifteen (15) mill constitutional limitation on real and tangible personal property, for a period of four (4) years, commencing December 1, 2024, to be used for services to older citizens directed toward the improvement of the social, legal, health, housing, educational, emotional, nutritional, recreational, or mobility status of older persons through the

Cass County Council on Aging, Inc. as provided by Public Act 39 of 1976? It is anticipated that the revenue collected by the County as a result will be Two Million, Nine-Hundred Thirty-Five Thousand, Eight-Hundred Sixty-Four ($2,935,864) Dollars in the first calendar year of the levy.

MARCELLUS TOWNSHIP

MILLAGE PROPOSITION FOR MARCELLUS TOWNSHIP ROADS
Shall the limitation of the total amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in the Township of Marcellus, Cass County Michigan, be increase by one and one half (1.5) mills of which one (1) mill of this proposal is a renewal which will expire with the 2024 levy & one Half (.5) mill is an increase on each dollar ($1.50 on each $1000.00) of the assessed taxable valuation as equalized to a period of four (4) years, being the years 2025 through 2028 inclusive. Which this will raise in the first calendar year of such levy an estimated $168,971.00 the same being for the purpose of construction, reconstruction, operation maintenance, repair, replacement, alteration, modification, enlargement and/or expansion of local roads lying and being within the Township of Marcellus, Cass County, Michigan?

MILLAGE PROPOSITION FOR FIRE AND AMBULANCE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
Shall the limitation on the total amount of taxes which may be assessed against all real and tangible personal property in the Township of Marcellus, Cass County, Michigan, be increased by one (1) mill for a total of two (2) mills on each dollar ($2.00 on each $1,000.00) of the taxable valuation on such property, as equalized for a period of Six (6) years beginning 2025 though 2030 inclusive? (1 mill of this proposal is a renewal of the current one (1.0) mill levy which will expire with the 2024 tax levy and one (1) mill is an increase, which will provide funds for the fire and ambulance routine operations and maintenance. It is anticipated that the revenue collected by the Township as a result of this proposal will be approximately $225,294.84 in the first calendar year of the levy.

MARCELLUS TOWNSHIP WOOD MEMORIAL LIBRARY MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSITION
Shall the limitation on the total amount of taxes which may be assessed against all real and tangible personal property in the Township of Marcellus, Cass County, Michigan, be increased by two (2) mills on each dollar for a total of two (2) mills ($2.00 on each $1,000.00) of the taxable valuation on such property (this being a renewal of the current two (2) mill levy which will expire with the 2024 tax levy), as equalized for a period of six (6) years beginning 2025 through 2030 inclusive to provide funds for the maintenance and operation of the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library? It is anticipated that the revenue collected by the Township as a result of this proposal will be approximately $225,294.84 in the first calendar year of the levy.

NEWBERG TOWNSHIP

RENEWAL OF NEWBERG TOWNSHIP ROAD MILLAGE
Shall the Township of Newberg, Cass County, Michigan, renew its levy of up to 1.0 (one) mill which is equal to $1.00 for each $1,000.00 of taxable valuation of real and personal property subject to taxation as an extra-voted millage to be used for the maintenance, upkeep, repair and construction of roads within Newberg Township so designated by the Newberg Township Board? Said millage, if approved by the electors of Newberg Township, will be levied for a period of two (2) years, beginning with the year 2025 and ending with the levy in the year 2026. Based on current valuation, it is estimated that the millage will generate approximately $111,203.24 in the first year of the levy.

ONTWA TOWNSHIP

PROPOSAL FOR RENEWAL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MILLAGE
Shall the expired previous voted increases in the tax limitations imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Ontwa Township, of 2 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 1.9996 mills ($1.9996 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at and increased up to the original voted 2 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 4 years, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 inclusive, for the maintenance and operation of the Ontwa Township/Edwardsburg Police Department, raising an estimated $631,000 in the first year that the millage is levied?

PROPOSAL FOR AMBULANCE SERVICE MILLAGE RENEWAL
“Shall the expired previous voted increases in the tax limitations imposed under Article IX,Sec 6 of the Michigan Constitution in the Ontwa Township, Cass County, Michigan, of .50 mills ($.50 per $1,000 of taxable value) be renewed and levied for 2 years, 2024, 2025 inclusive to provide funds for the maintenance and operation of the Edwardsburg Ambulance service, and shall the Township levy such a renewal in millage for that purpose, thereby raising in the first year an estimated $157,750.

PROPOSAL FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE FIRE AND AMBULANCE SERVICES MILLAGE
“Shall the expired previous voted increases in the tax limitations imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Ontwa Township, of 2 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 1.9996 mills ($1.9996 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at and increased up to the original voted 2 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 4 years, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 inclusive, with one (1) mill of said two (2) mills being allocated to the purpose of providing fire services, included, but not limited to the maintenance and operation of the Edwardsburg Fire Department, and the purchase & housing of fire apparatus & equipment, and with one (1) mill being allocated to the Edwardsburg Ambulance Service, included, but not limited to the maintenance and operation of the ambulance department and to the purchase & housing of ambulances & ambulance apparatus and equipment.

The total estimated amount of revenue to be generated for the 2024 calendar will be $631,000 or $315,500 for each service.

VOLINIA TOWNSHIP

PROPOSAL TO APPROVE ROAD IMPROVEMENT MILLAGE
Shall the Township of Volinia, Cass County, Michigan, levy of up to 2.0 mills which is equal to $2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution and levy it for four (4) years, 2024 through 2027, inclusive, on all taxable property in the Township for the purposes of road repairs, upgrades, construction, improvement and maintenance of township roads located within Volinia Township. Based on current valuation, it is estimated that the millage will generate approximately $125,933.92 in the first year of the levy

VAN BUREN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPECIAL EDUCATION MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL

This proposal will permit the intermediate school district to continue to levy special education millage previously approved by the electors.

Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of 0.8955 mill ($0.8955 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Van Buren Intermediate School District, Michigan, to provide funds for the education of students with a disability, be renewed for a period of 5 years, 2025 to 2029, inclusive; the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2025 is approximately $4,506,437 from local property taxes authorized herein (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2024 tax levy)?

BRANDYWINE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL

This proposal, if approved by the electors, will allow the School District to continue to levy the previously approved operating millage authorization, which will otherwise expire on December 31, 2024, on all property, except principal residences and qualified agricultural property and other property exempted by law, which is required for the School District to receive its full revenue per pupil foundation allowance.

Shall the previously approved operating millage authorization of the Brandywine Community Schools in the amount of 20.5916 mills with 18 mills being the maximum allowable levy ($18.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, exempting therefrom principal residences and qualified agricultural property and other property as exempted by law, situated within the boundaries of the Brandywine Community Schools, which is about to expire, be renewed and continued for a period of eight (8) years, being 2025 to 2032, inclusive, which millage would provide estimated revenues to the Brandywine Community Schools of Two Million Two Hundred Twenty-Two Thousand Six Hundred Seventy-Seven and 00/100 Dollars ($2,222,677.00) during the 2025 calendar year, if approved and levied, to be used for general operating purposes?

EAU CLAIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOND PROPOSAL

Shall Eau Claire Public Schools, Berrien and Cass Counties, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Seven Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($7,800,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor for the purpose of: remodeling, equipping and re-equipping and furnishing and refurnishing school buildings; and acquiring, installing, equipping and re-equipping school buildings for instructional technology?

The following is for informational purposes only:

The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2024 is 2.80 mills ($2.80 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a 0 mill net increase over the prior year’s levy. The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is twenty (20) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.74 mills ($2.74 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).

The school district does not expect to borrow from the State to pay debt service on the bonds. The total amount of qualified bonds currently outstanding is $0. The total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is $0. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.

(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)