LANSING, Mich. — On Tuesday, mid-Michigan voters were asked how invested they were in various services provided by either their county or township.
The services included emergency 911 in both Branch and Hillsdale Counties to transit millage requests in Branch County and Meridian Township (Ingham County).
Also, six schools districts throughout the FOX 47 News viewing area had millage proposals on the ballot.
Let’s take a look at how some of these issues fared with voters
911
In Branch County voters by over a two to one margin passed a proposal which will enhance their 911 central dispatch with a tax rate renewal of a current millage.
The current millage was due to expire in 2020.
The language of the ballot proposition also asked voters for a millage increase of just over $ .13 per $1,000 of taxable property.
While in Hillsdale County, the voters had the same sentiment and passed a surcharge that will assess $3.00 per month on all eligible communication devices capable of calling 911.
The surcharge will start in 2021 and runs through 2026. This tax will finance the costs of implementing, maintaining and operating Hillsdale County’s 911 dispatch system.
TRANSIT
In Ingham County’s Meridian Township, the Redi Ride Millage Renewal asked voters if they were willing to increase the current tax to $ .20 on each $1,000 of taxable property.
It passed by over 18-hundred votes.
This tax will be levied for 5 years, from 202 to 2024.
This renewal proposal would replace the current assessment of just over $ .19, which was rolled backed and will expire after 2019.
What voters get with this millage is expanded Capital Area Transportation Authority or CATA service.
This will include an increase in the frequency of current routes and providing Redi Ride service for Meridian Township residents.
Branch County residents also had a transit millage on the ballot Tuesday. It passed by well over a two-to-one margin.
It will renew a tax set to expire in 2019 and includes a slight increase.
SCHOOLS
There were six school sinking fund millage proposals on the ballot Tuesday in mid-Michigan.
At the time this article was being written, five of the six ballot issues had been decided.
Three including Colon Community Schools (Branch Co.), Potterville Public Schools (Eaton County), and Washtenaw Intermediate Schools (Jackson Co.) passed easily.
However, voters in two school districts located in Shiawassee County sent their school districts very different messages on the issue of increased funding.
The Byron Area Schools’ proposal passed with 58 percent of the vote.
The school district includes voters in Genessee and Livingston Counties.
Voters in the Chesaning Union School District said no to a similar measure.
That district is split with some students located in Shiawassee, but a majority of students living in Saginaw County.
The Waldren Area Schools, located in both Hillsdale and Lanawee Counties, still had ballots no counted when this article was written.
With 80-percent of all precincts reporting, the yes vote for the sinking millage proposal in that district had the support of 56-percent of ballots cast.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Voters in Calhoun County’s Marengo Township, on Tuesday, said they have no problem with a new tax that will be used to purchase new vehicles for the township’s fire department.
The tax will be assessed from 2019 through 2025.
Jackson County voters in both Napoleon and Summit Townships also felt new taxes for first responders were good investments for the communities.
In Napolean Township the operating millage had the support of 68-percent of the voters.
In Summit Townships, a similar millage received 86-percent of the vote.
Enhancing 9-1-1 services was on the ballot in two counties.
Voters in Branch passed an enhanced 911 central dispatch tax with 69-percent of the vote.
While in Hillsdale County, though the vote is not final, yes was outpacing no by a three-to-one margin for the approval of an E-911 operating surcharge.
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