More than three-quarters of Saginaw Township voters turned down a 5.75-mill, $242.9 million proposal to build a new Heritage High School and perform major upgrades on the district’s seven other buildings.
Tuesday’s count was 2,540 in favor, 8,671 opposed, for a plan that would have cost a median $180,000 homeowner about $500 per year for the next three decades.
Turnout was 33 percent, which means two of every three eligible voters did not take part.
Board of Education members now must decide whether to try again in August or October, and if so, whether to scale down the plan. Their campaign placed an emphasis on school design security, during an era of classroom shootings, and in some forums they emphasized this point even more strongly than the usual old-age facilities theme.
From the start, foes asked why the district could not barricade more entrances instead of spending multi-millions. Another factor is that most homes no longer contain school-age children, compared to when MacArthur High, now White Pine Middle, opened in 1961 and Eisenhower High in 1971.
Residents have not supported a major millage since construction of MacArthur and Eisenhower, now Heritage. Debt levies since the millennium have remained in the 2.95-mill range. The same typical homeowner will continue paying around $250 per annum. This would have tripled if the millage had passed.
Superintendent Bruce Martin, in a prepared statement, said, “Of course we are disappointed that the school district’s bond proposal was unsuccessful. We plan to assess the election results before deciding our next steps. We will evaluate all bond proposal projects by engaging the staff and community and then update our plan to address facility needs. I want to assure parents, other members of the community, and school staff that, despite this setback, we will continue moving forward and will work together to provide a quality educational experience for all students and other members of the community. Thank you to everyone for their continued support.”
Results, still to be officially certified, show that the plan failed decisively in all 15 precincts.
