- Utica Community Schools
- Non-homestead proposal
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This week I sent information to the UCS community about our safety and success ballot proposals that our Board of Education voted unanimously to place on a May 2 ballot. Both the bond and the non-homestead are an important first step to our students and teachers tools to support our vision of empowering students for their future.
Since the release of the information, we have received a great deal of positive feedback on the initiatives and how they will support learning in our schools. We have also received questions on several important pieces of these proposals.
I remain committed to transparency and open communication during this process and will be using this space over the next few weeks to talk about specific parts of the plan.
Several questions we have received are centered on the non-homestead portion of the ballot proposals. Such as, is the request unique to Utica Schools? No, it is required in every Michigan community. If the millage only impact non-homestead pieces of property, why does the community have to vote on it? It is a requirement of the State of Michigan.
Here is additional information about the non-homestead proposal:
- The non-homestead election is required for every Michigan school district to receive their full funding. It was part of the funding formula established through state law for Michigan school districts when Proposal A was approved in 1994.
- The funding represents more than $41 million in annual funding for our schools. The current millage is scheduled will expire at the end of the next calendar year.
- The definition of non-homestead applies to businesses, second homes and rentals. It does not impact a homeowners property taxes.
- The proposal will return the millage to a previously authorized 18 mills on non-homesteads and is consistent with rates across Michigan.
- Over the history of the levy, the non-homestead has been regularly reduced through required rollbacks the by state Headlee Amendment. This is a loss of local funding that is not made up by the State of Michigan. The ballot question has been structured to provide future financial stability for our schools with an unlevied two mill cushion that will help sustain the 18 mills required for full funding.
- The non-homestead proposal supports school operations, including safety operations and training, teachers and staff, programs and services, and the daily costs associated with opening our schools every day, such as utilities.
We enjoy a strong partnership with our business community.
Throughout the Value of UCS campaign, we have featured business leaders and owners who speak to the importance of a quality school district to the well-being of a community.
Business and education success go hand in hand in a vibrant, healthy community. We will be working closely over the next few months with our business leaders to communicate to our voters what this proposal means to the economic health of our community.
For more information on our safety and success proposals, please see our website.
Robert S. Monroe
Superintendent of Schools