Tuesday’s election is mainly a presidential nominating primary for the Republican and Democratic parties, but property tax proposals also are on the ballot.
City voters on Feb. 27 are asked to renew a 7.5-mill special assessment for public safety, while Saginaw Township residents will decide whether to continue 18 mills on businesses only.
In neither case do we see supporters placing “vote yes” placards on neighborhood lawns, because the strategy is to avoid arousing organized “vote no” campaigns. Authorities are following all legal steps involved in announcing and managing elections, of course, but they are not offering any added publicity, because a victory with a small turnout beats a defeat with more people taking part.
Mayor Brenda Moore says she was directed not to mention the special assessment millage three weeks ago when she delivered the annual State of the City message to the Chamber of Commerce, and in retrospect, she would have preferred more advance publicity. Councilman George Copeland and Clerk Kristine Bolzman both mentioned the election at the Feb. 19 meeting, but neither elaborated on the purpose.
The public safety tax was passed by voters in 2005 and renewed every five years, with the 2024 date moved up ahead of time to take effect in 2025. Property owners pay $3.75 for every $1,000 in sales value, adding up to $150 for a $40,000 property or $375 on a $100,000 house.
With $3.25 million generated, the tax covers wages, benefits, training and equipment for 20 police officers and 10 firefighters. Even so, the cash-strapped general fund still relies more and more on backup from state police, while the southeast quadrant no longer is served by the Hess Fire Station.
City leaders for years have remained puzzled that residents support the public safety levy while resisting pushes to remove 1979 property tax caps that restrict millage collections, especially on local businesses and corporations paying higher levies on improvements that lead to higher valuations. Moore’s predecessor as mayor, Floyd Kloc, now is volunteering with an advocate group that may aim again to try to thaw the tax freeze, but at the present time, the public safety renewal carries first priority.
Mayor Moore says she is not taking the public safety renewal for granted because it is the first of the covid era. Revenue from ARPA, the pandemic stimulus American Rescue Plan Act, may not be used to rebuild police and fire staffing.
Back to biz for township schools
So-called “non-homestead renewals” normally take place with little fanfare in Michigan’s 500-plus K-12 school districts, because the levy applies only to business, not to residences. Homeowners since 1994 have paid a lower rate on property in exchange for a higher state sales tax, 6 percent instead of 4.
Similar to the city, township school leaders do not consider Tuesday’s renewal to be a routine formality. Last May’s defeat of a 5.75 mills for a new Heritage High and upgrades to other schools failed with only 23 percent. First-year Superintendent Jamie Kraatz and Board President Arik Smith are concerned that confusion may cause a carryover, because this is an entirely different matter for operations, not for infrastructure.
Also like the city with the tax caps, the township school board and supporters will look into another building bond issue after the non-homestead renewal is resolved.
