School building improvements, student transportation and teacher salaries are among school millage and bond issues voters across mid-Michigan will decide in the upcoming Tuesday, May 6, election. Birch Run Area Schools, Essexville-Hampton Public Schools, Midland Public Schools and Reese Public Schools are among districts with proposals on the upcoming ballot. Below is a breakdown of each proposal, some of which are renewals, others which call for new levies. Birch Run Area Schools There will be two proposals on the May 2025 ballot for Birch Run Area Schools residents. The first is the Operating Millage Renewal. The second is the Bond Proposal. The operating millage renewal would allow the district to continue to tax the statutory rate not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance. It renews a millage that will expire with the 2025 tax levy. The proposal reads: “Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of 18.5 mills ($18.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Birch Run Area Schools, Saginaw and Genesee Counties, Michigan, be renewed for a period of 5 years, 2026 to 2030, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2026 is approximately $2,923,444 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2025 tax levy)?”The district’s bond proposal estimates a levy of 3.5 mills ($3.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for proposed bonds in 2025, an increase of 2.9 mills over last year’s levy. The maximum number of years the bond can be outstanding is 25 years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 4.58 mills ($4.58 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). The proposal reads: “Shall Birch Run Area Schools, Saginaw and Genesee Counties, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Forty-One Million Two Hundred Sixty Thousand Dollars ($41,260,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, in one or more series, for the purpose of: erecting, completing, remodeling, equipping and re-equipping school buildings, facilities, and additions to school buildings and facilities; furnishing and refurnishing school buildings and facilities; acquiring, installing, equipping and re-equipping school buildings for instructional technology; and acquiring, preparing, developing, improving and equipping athletic fields, play fields, playgrounds, structures, facilities and sites?” Essexville-Hampton Public Schools – Bond Proposal The Essexville-Hampton Public Schools district is seeking a $13.5 million bond that, if approved by voters, would provide funds to make improvements throughout the district’s buildings. This bond proposal, with an expected total project cost of $14.5 million (including a $1 million state grant), would establish a district STEM Center at Cramer Junior High School; reconfigure grade levels across the district to optimize facility usage (PreK-2nd at Bush, 3rd-5th at Verellen, 6th-8th at Cramer, 9th-12th at Garber); expand early childhood education access at Bush Elementary; upgrade athletic and arts facilities at Garber High School’s football/soccer field; and improve safety district-wide through a new PA system. The STEM center will be combined with the district offices, closing and demolishing the Jaffe Administration building for green space and reducing utility costs. Approximately 75 additional parking spots will be added by the STEM Center that will be connected to Cramer Junior High School. The proposal reads: “Shall Essexville-Hampton Public Schools, Bay County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Thirteen Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($13,500,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, for the purpose of: erecting, equipping, and furnishing additions to school buildings; remodeling, equipping and re-equipping, and furnishing and refurnishing school buildings; acquiring, installing, equipping and re-equipping school buildings for instructional technology; and preparing, developing, erecting, equipping, and improving athletic fields and facilities, playgrounds, and sites?” Midland Public Schools – Bond Proposal Midland Public Schools is seeking a $285 million facilities improvement bond to address existing school facility needs while also potentially building new schools. If approved by voters, the bond would levy a 3.25 mill increase over the current levy for the next 25 years. The proposal seeks to provide district-wide improvements in five key areas, according to the district. These include improving school safety and security; expanding Pre-K offerings; modernizing classroom spaces; upgrading arts, athletics and elementary play areas; and addressing aging facilities. This involves taking two aging buildings—Carpenter Pre-Primary Center and Northeast Middle School—and replacing them with a new middle school and a new elementary school. The proposal reads: “Shall Midland Public Schools, Midland County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Two Hundred Eighty-Five Million Dollars ($285,000,000) and issue its general obligation tax bonds therefor, in one or more series, for the purpose of: erecting, furnishing, and equipping new school buildings and school support buildings; erecting additions to, remodeling, including security improvements to, furnishing and refurnishing, and equipping and re-equipping school buildings; acquiring and installing instructional technology and instructional technology equipment for school buildings; purchasing school buses; and acquiring, preparing, developing, equipping, and improving playgrounds, play fields, athletic fields and facilities, driveways, parking areas, and sites?” Reese Public Schools – Sinking Fund Millage Proposal A district sinking fund allows schools to make improvements for specific purposes, as allowed by the state. In this case, Reese Public Schools is looking to create a fund that would be used for building repairs, safety improvement, instructional technology upgrades and added transportation. The fund would be created by a local tax levied on all property located in a school district—which includes parts of Saginaw and Bay counties, even though most of the district falls within Tuscola County. This proposal includes a zero increase from the 2024 levy at 1.5 mills, which would generate $445,370 annually for five years for district improvements. Despite this, it cannot legally be called a renewal because transportation costs have been added into the ballot language, making it a new proposal in a technical sense. The proposal reads: “Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Reese Public Schools, Tuscola, Saginaw and Bay Counties, Michigan, be increased by and the board of education be authorized to levy not to exceed 1.5 mills ($1.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 5 years, 2025 to 2029, inclusive, to create a sinking fund for the purchase of real estate for sites for and the construction or repair of school buildings; for school security improvements; for the acquisition or upgrading of technology; for the acquisition of student transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used for the maintenance of student transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of eligible trucks and vans used to carry parts, equipment, and personnel for or in the maintenance of school buildings; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used to maintain such trucks and vans; and all other purposes authorized by law; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2025 is approximately $445,370?” Curious if you’re registered to vote? 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