Michigan, Ohio voters have range of choices

8/3/2004

Voters in Michigan and Ohio today cast ballots on candidates and issues, including 911 telephone surcharges in Monroe and Lenawee counties and 26 school issues across northwest Ohio.

Polls in Ohio will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

In Michigan, voters will have between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. to cast their ballots. Michigan's partisan primary ballot features a number of hotly contested races, including a nine-way race to fill an open congressional seat that is being vacated by retiring Republican Nick Smith (R., Addison).

Voters will also fill out their party's general election ballot by choosing candidates for state representative, as well as county and township elected offices in Michigan.

Officials in Lenawee and Monroe counties are asking voters to significantly increase the monthly surcharges they pay on their home phone lines to fund 911 operations.

A number of other local levies also must be decided.

In northwest Ohio, voters in 19 school districts will vote on 26 funding requests, part of the largest request for educational tax increases in two decades, state officials say.

In Lucas County, the sole issue is a proposal to build and fund a park in the Anthony Wayne Joint Recreation District.

Among other area school districts with tax requests include:

●Rossford Exempted Village Schools, a 2-mill continuing levy to improve and maintain facilities.

●Lake Local Schools, a three-year, 11-mill emergency operating levy to avoid layoffs and preserve class offerings.

●Fostoria City Schools, with a 9.63-mill operating levy to prevent a projected $500,000 deficit in 2004-05.

●Huron City Schools, a 6.9-mill operating levy and a 1.35-mill renewal levy to overcome a projected $1.6 million operating deficit.

Voters in the following northwest Ohio districts will also consider levies:

Delphos School District, Perkins Local School District, Swanton Local School District, Liberty-Benton Local Schools, Patrick Henry Local School District, Monroeville School District, Willard City Schools, Genoa Area School District, Antwerp Local School District, Continental Local Schools, Bellevue City School District, Woodmore Local School District, Tiffin City Schools, Milcreek West Unity Local School District, and North Central Local School District.