Dozens of Michigan school districts to hold bond votes on Tuesday
- Several school districts in Michigan are seeking approval on school bond proposals in the May 2 election
- Federal funding over the pandemic could only be used to address learning loss and not large infrastructure projects
- Utica Community Schools is proposing a half a billion dollar school bond, the largest school bond in the upcoming election
Dozens of school districts are asking voters to support bond proposals in the upcoming Tuesday election. The money is intended to help districts renovate school buildings, upgrade technology and enhance security.
Michigan school districts received over $6 billion during the COVID-19 pandemic which was intended to provide students with support during the pandemic and address learning loss stemming from it.
“All of that money that came through during the pandemic had very specific purposes,” said Don Wotruba, executive director for the Michigan Association of School Boards. Schools can use the money to install air conditioning to help stop the spread of germs but they “couldn’t use it to build a new building,” he said.
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Many schools are still addressing learning loss as well as concerns from parents regarding school safety that federal funding didn’t cover. According to a list compiled by Gongwer News Service, 36 school districts in Michigan are asking voters to support school bonds that address building concerns and more.
“The bond issue is the only way [schools] are going to do large projects,” Wotruba said. Anything infrastructure-related like new buildings, classroom changes or new furniture, a bond proposal is the most efficient way to do it, he said.
State law prevents school districts from using bonds to cover operational costs like teacher salaries which are covered by state funds determined by student enrollment.
Utica Community Schools in Macomb County is seeking $550 million, the largest school bond proposal in the upcoming election. The district is the second largest in the state with over 26,000 students spread across 44 buildings.
“We are constantly looking at best practices and ways that we can maintain a safe environment in our schools,” said Tim McAvoy, director of school and community relations for the district. “We have a number of schools that are open concept schools so they don’t have walls or doors … and so we need to address those.”
McAvoy said the district is hopeful residents will support the bond because it would not increase the district’s current debt tax rate of 3.5 mils over the next 10 years.
Four other school districts are seeking large bond sales including:
- Saginaw Township Community Schools ($242.95 million)
- Grand Haven Area Public Schools ($155.8 million)
- West Bloomfield School District ($148 million)
- Northville Public Schools ($134.4 million).
West Bloomfield said it intends to build two new elementary schools, upgrade technology and create a space for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and CTE (career technical education) at the high school level.
“The district is in a rare position to sell bonds at a zero increase to the current debt millage, while being able to address current infrastructure and program needs,” said Scott Long assistant superintendent for learning services in West Bloomfield during a video presentation.
“Our current mills is 6.15 and if this proposed bond passes the current mills would be 6.15,” he said.
The 36 school bond proposals are among 93 bond proposals up for vote on Tuesday across the state that seek to increase local property taxes, Gongwer reported.
The list of district bond votes includes:
(Macomb, St. Clair) $26,500,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Van Buren) $7,250,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
Bangor Township School District
(Bay) $33,150,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Lenawee, Monroe, Wayne) $23,600,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Berrien) $34,970,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Allegan, Barry, Kent) $61,000,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Macomb) $17,000,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Clare, Isabella) $66,520,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
Climax-Scotts Community Schools
(Calhoun, Kalamazoo) $16,200,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Midland) $15,360,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Berrien) $28,250,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Kent) $59,460,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(St. Joseph) $3,900,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Lapeer) $10,770,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Berrien, Cass) $16,700,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Macomb) $59,000,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Clare, Gladwin) $55,600,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
Grand Haven Area Public Schools
(Muskegon, Ottawa) $155,775,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Allegan) $41,180,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Dickinson) $16,930,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Gogebic) $16,100,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Genesee) $57,500,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Berrien) $19,900,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Leelanau) $6,080,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Mason) $31,540,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
McBain Rural Agricultural School
(Clare, Missaukee, Osceola) $2,150,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Wayne) $134,400,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
Pewamo Westphalia Community Schools
(Clinton) $17,600,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
Saginaw Township Community Schools
(Saginaw) $242,945,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Ottawa) $49.8 million for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Mackinac) $9,150,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Macomb) $550,000,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Berrien, Van Buren) $29,900,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Allegan, Barry, Kent) $49,700,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
West Bloomfield School District
(Oakland) $148,000,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
(Muskegon) $32,375,000 for school infrastructure and improvements.
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