2020 Non-Homestead Millage
March 10, 2020 Ballot Proposal
About the Proposal
On March 10, 2020, Clarkston Community Schools will seek an 8 mill non-homestead millage. The ballot proposal, if approved, will allow the school district to continue to levy 18 mills on all commercial, business, rental properties, vacant land, and second-home properties. This non-homestead millage renewal does not affect property taxes for primary home residences.
Important Facts
- Election Day: March 10, 2020 from 7am-8pm.
- This proposal does not impact the taxes on residential or agricultural property.
- This is a renewal of the current 18 mills that voters approved in 2015.
- This renewal is for a period of six years.
- This is a renewal on non-homestead property only.
- This is not a new tax, only a renewal to hold funding at current levels. In order for the District to receive its full per pupil foundation allowance from the state, the District must levy 18 mills on non-homestead properties.
- This money is used for district operations.
- This money cannot be replaced by other sources.
- Even though primary households are not affected, state law requires a district-wide election to approve this millage.
- Due to the Headlee Amendment rollback, Clarkston Community Schools is at risk of losing the full 18 mills that non-homestead property owners expect to pay for schools. A conservative projection by PFM Advisors of a 3.5% rollback would put the district at 17.85 mills in 2020.
- An increase of 8 mills on the ballot, while restricting the District to levy no more than 18 mills by law, is necessary to restore and maintain the 18 mills and guard against future Headlee rollbacks.
Necessary for School Funding
The following presentation was delivered to the Clarkston Community Schools Board of Education and community members on October 7, 2019 during a public meeting. For 2019-2020 meeting minutes and meeting dates, please visit our Board of Education page on the website.
Ballot Language
Operating non-homestead Millage Proposal — Clarkston Community Schools
This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of 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.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Clarkston Community Schools, Oakland County, Michigan, be increased by 8 mills ($8.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 6 years, 2020 to 2025, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2020 is approximately $67,311 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore that reduction)?
Find us on Page 2!
The Clarkston Community Schools non-homestead millage proposal is on Page 2 of the two-sided ballot. Don't forget to flip the ballot over to cast your vote!
Voting Information
Register to Vote
Learn more about registering to vote, or see if you're already registered, at the Secretary of State's Register to Vote website.
- Monday, February 24, 2020: Last day to register in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk (i.e. by mail).
- February 25 - March 10, 2020 at 8pm: In-person registration with the local clerk with proof of residency.
Absentee VOTER Ballots
Learn more about absentee voting on the Secretary of State's Absentee Voting website
- Requests to have an absent voter ballot mailed via First Class Mail must be received by the City Clerk no later than 5pm on March 6, 2020.
- Electors already registered to vote may obtain an absent voter ballot in person in the City Clerk's office up until 4pm on March 9, 2020.
- Emergency absentee voting for the general election make take place up until 4 pm on March 10, 2020.
- Election day registrants may obtain and vote an absent voter ballot in person in the clerk's office or vote in person in the proper precinct on March 10.
The Clarkston Community Schools non-homestead millage proposal is on Page 2 of the two-sided ballot. Don't forget to flip the ballot over to cast your vote!
Election Day
Election Day is Tuesday, March 10. Polls are open from 7am-8pm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What IS A NON-HOMESTEAD MILLAGE?
Non-homestead property includes all taxable property within the District with the exception of a family’s primary residence. Non-homestead property includes industrial, commercial and some agricultural property and ‘second homes.’ A non-homestead millage refers to the rate at which non-homestead properties are taxed.
Will my tax rates increase if this proposal is passed?
There is no tax increase to homeowners. This millage proposal is only for non-homestead properties, like commercial, business, rental properties, vacant land, and second-home property owners. The ballot measure is to renew the 18 mills that are levied on non-homestead properties (commercial, business, rental properties, vacant land and second-home properties.)
The standard formula for determining millage rates as actual dollars is: One mill equals $1 of tax per $1,000 of the taxable value of a property.
Why do districts levy 18 Mills from non-homestead properties?
Each district in the State of Michigan uses the per pupil funding allotment to plan its annual budget. The state determines the per- pupil amounts during their annual budget process.
The State of Michigan also decides how much of the per pupil funding comes from the state and how much comes from each district’s local non-homestead tax base. The state assumes each district is collecting 18 mills from its non-homestead properties. The state then backs out the non-homestead property taxes (the full 18 mills) before sending the district its monthly payments. With the full 18 Mills, Clarkston Community Schools' per pupil allowance for 2019-2020 is $8,111. Without the full 18 mills, the District cannot collect the full amount per each pupil (student).
Clarkston Community Schools has been collecting 18 mills as the non-homestead operating millage since Proposal A passed in 1994. The 2020 Headlee Restoration Millage, if passed, allows the District to renew the full 18 mills through 2025 and claim the full per-pupil allotment.
DIDN’T WE PASS A BOND IN 2016? IS THIS THE SAME THING?
This non-homestead Headlee Restoration ballot proposal is unrelated to the district’s 2016 bond proposal for the completion of safety, technology, and building projects across our district.
HOW WILL THE NON-HOMESTEAD MILLAGE FUNDS BE USED?
The funds from the non-homestead Headlee restoration millage go directly into the District's general fund, which supports day-to-day operations, like programs, facilities, and employee salaries. As with every extra dollar received, general fund dollars are always spent focused on making the biggest impact on our students.
What happens if the NON-HOMESTEAD Millage is not approved?
If the District were unable to collect the full 18 Mills allowed under Proposal A, a Headlee rollback of 3.5% in May 2020 would result in a $67,311 loss of revenue to the Clarkston Community Schools general fund, effective July 1, 2020. These losses would grow annually, negatively impacting the District's ability to fund day-to-day operations.
HOW WAS THE POTENTIAL GAP IN REVENUE ($67,311) calculated?
- 2020 Non-Homestead Taxable Value/ 1000 = $448,742.81
- Projected Millage Rate with 3.5% Headlee Rollback: 17.85 (levy only .15 of the 8 additional operating mills requested in the millage proposal)
- $448,742.81 x .15 = $67,311*
If .15 mills cannot be levied to bring the total from 17.85 to to 18 mills, $67,311 cannot be collected and therefore represents a gap in funding.