Bedford school officials urge voters to pass millage renewal

5/2/2012

TEMPERANCE -- Bedford Public Schools officials urge voters to go to the polls Tuesday to approve the renewal of a millage on industrial, commercial, and rental properties and second homes.

They also seek approval, on the same ballot, of a 1-mill Headlee rollback and override. If approved, this measure would enable the schools to collect the tax's full, authorized 18 mills. The Headlee Amendment to the Michigan constitution requires a local taxing body to reduce its millage when the increase in a property's annual valuation is greater than the rate of inflation. The millage is rolled back so the growth in a community's property-tax revenue does not exceed the inflation rate.

Superintendent Ted Magrum said the $3.3 million in annual operating funds generated by the millage is vital to the district and would not be made up by the state if lost. He stressed that the tax, called a nonhomestead property tax operating millage, does not apply to primary residences. Also exempt are qualified agricultural and forest properties.

The levy expires at the end of 2012, but would extend for another five years if renewed.