Adrian, Morenci schools seek operating millage renewals

ADRIAN — Voters in the Adrian and Morenci school districts are being asked on Tuesday, May 7, to renew the districts' nonhomestead operating millages.

This is the first time in 10 years that Adrian's operating millage has come up for renewal, and the district is again asking voters to renew it for 10 years. In recent years, Morenci has asked voters annually to renew the property tax that is paid by the owners of businesses, rental properties and second homes. This time, the district is asking for a three-year renewal.

The tax is not levied on primary residences. It is used to pay expenses such as salaries, utilities and classroom supplies.

This operating millage was created in the 1990s when Proposal A was passed in Michigan. Proposal A transferred most school funding to the sales tax in order to provide tax relief to property owners and established this operating millage to go toward the full, per-pupil funding amount set each year by the state Legislature. If a district does not levy the full 18 mills allowed by state law, the state will not make up the difference.

If approved, the owner of property with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay $1,800 to the schools.

ADRIAN: The proposal on Adrian Public Schools voters' ballots asks to renew the district's current millage rate of 18.2517 mills. Districts can only levy up to 18 mills, but some districts that ask for renewals that extend over many years set the approved rate at more than 18 mills in order to counteract the effect of the Headlee Amendment to the state constitution. That amendment limits the rate at which a school district's or local government's property tax revenue can grow each year to no more than the rate of inflation. If property values grow faster than the overall inflation rate, millage rates get "rolled back." In some cases, school districts have had their operating millage reduced to less than 18 mills and have had to ask voters to restore the millage to 18 mills or more in order to ensure they were fully funded.

If approved, the district expects to collect $4,715,596 from the tax in 2025. That is about 10% of the district's total operating revenue.

In 2014, the last time the Adrian schools asked to renew this millage, voters approved with 81% voting yes.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at the Lenawee County Fair & Event Grounds in the Merchants Building.

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MORENCI: Voters in the Morenci Area Schools are being asked Tuesday to renew the school district's 18-mill operating millage for three years.

If approved, the tax is expected to collect $936,602 in revenue in 2025. That accounts for about 12% of the district's annual operating income.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Morenci City Hall, 118 Orchard St.

Last year, Morenci voters approved renewing the millage by a 201-61 vote.

— Contact reporter David Panian at dpanian@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @lenaweepanian.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian, Morenci schools seek operating millage renewals