Voters across Metro Detroit get to decide on several school bond proposals on Tuesday.
Voters can cast their ballot in the special election by May 6, 2025.
Here’s what to know about the proposed school bonds:
Mount Clemens Community School District
In Mount Clemens, the district is pursuing nearly $92 million in bonds over 20 years. The district said its in desperate need for the money to make repairs to the high school ceilings and improve the infrastructure of the middle and high schools.
However, not everyone is on board with the plan. Critics said the price tag is too high, while other are feeling overtaxed.
Part of the vote includes a district tax reduction—a rare move the district hopes will help win over voters.
To find your polling place in Mount Clemens, visit here.
Here is how the proposal will appear like on the ballot:
Shall Mount Clemens Community School District, Macomb County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Ninety One Million Eight Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars ($91,820,000) and issue its unlimited tax general obligation bonds therefore, for the purpose of defraying all or part of the cost of:
Erecting additions to the secondary complex; remodeling, equipping and reequipping school buildings, including structures and athletic fields, or parts of or additions to those facilities, including renovations to restore and revitalize the historical high school building and to create separate high school and junior high school learning environments with secure entrance vestibules; furnishing or refurnishing new or remodeled school buildings; preparing, developing, and improving sites, or parts of sites, for school buildings, including structures, athletic fields, and parking lots; and acquiring, installing, and equipping or reequipping school buildings for technology?
The following is for informational purposes only:
The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in the year 2025, under current law, is 1.30 mills ($1.30 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a 1.00 mill net decrease over the previous year’s levy. The bonds may be issued in series, with twenty (20) years as the maximum number of years that any series of the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 7.93 mills ($7.93 per $1,000 of taxable valuation).
The school district currently has $24,060,000 of qualified bonds outstanding and $7,392,048 of qualified loans outstanding under the State School Bond Qualification and Loan Program. The additional estimated interest to be paid on the qualified loans that is attributable to the bonds is $1,473,402. The school district does not expect to borrow from the program to pay debt services on these bonds. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.
(Pursuant to State law, expenditures of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)
Lamphere Public Schools
Lamphere Schools is proposing an $85 million bond to focus on enhancing safety and security, addressing facility needs and expanding student learning opportunities.
Here’s a breakdown of what the proposed bond will do for schools, including school-specific upgrades.
This is how the proposal will appear on the ballot:
Shall The Lamphere Schools, County of Oakland, State of Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Eighty-Five Million Dollars ($85,000,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds, in one or more series, to pay the cost of the following projects to create a modern learning environment for students and for health, safety, security, energy, conservation and other purposes:
- Remodeling, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing, re-furnishing school buildings, playgrounds, athletic fields and other facilities;
- Erecting and completing secure entryway additions at school buildings, a gymnasium addition at the high school and additions to other facilities;
- Acquiring and installing instructional technology infrastructure and equipment for the robotics program at the middle school building; and
- Preparing, developing and improving sites at school buildings, playgrounds, athletic fields and other facilities?
The maximum number of years any series of bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than thirty (30) years; the estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 4.15 mills (which is equal to $4.15 per $1,000 of taxable value); and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire each series of bonds is 3.81 mills annually ($3.81 per $1,000 of taxable value).
If approved by the voters, the bonds will be guaranteed by the State under the School Bond Qualification and Loan Program (the “Program”). The School District currently has $0 of qualified bonds outstanding and $0 of qualified loans outstanding under the Program. The School District does not expect to borrow from the Program to pay debt service on these bonds. The estimated computed millage rate required to be levied to pay the proposed bonds may change in the future based on changes in certain circumstances.
(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, repair or maintenance costs or other operating expenses.)
To find your polling place in Madison Heights, visit here.
Redford-Union School District
Redford-Union School District is proposing a nearly $45 million bond to help provide district-wide infrastructure work at the schools, provide more instructional technology equipment and improve HVAC systems.
More information on the proposed bond can be viewed here.
Here is how the proposal will appear on the ballot:
Shall Redford Union School District No. 1, Wayne County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Forty Four Million Three Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Dollars ($44,375,000) and issue its unlimited tax general obligation bonds therefore, for the purpose of defraying all or part of the cost of:
Remodeling and equipping or reequipping school buildings, including structures, and athletic fields, or parts of those facilities; refurnishing remodeled school buildings; preparing, developing, or improving sites, or parts of sites, for school buildings, including parking lots and athletic fields; acquiring, installing, and equipping or reequipping school buildings for technology?
The following is for informational purposes only:
in the year 2025, under current law, is 1.06 mills ($1.06 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a -0- mill net increase over the previous year’s levy. The bonds may be issued in series, with thirty (30) years as the maximum number of years that any series of the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 4.69 mills ($4.69 per $1,000 of taxable valuation). The school district currently has $52,790,000 of qualified bonds outstanding and $0 of qualified loans outstanding under the State School Bond Qualification and Loan Program. The school district does not expect to borrow from the program to pay debt service on these bonds. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.
(Pursuant to State law, expenditures of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)
To find your polling location in Redford, visit here.
Southgate Community Schools
Southgate Community Schools is asking residents to vote on three proposals: a zero tax rate increase bond, non-homestead operating millage renewal and 2-Mill hedge.
The zero tax rate increase bond aims to improve safety, security and technology at the schools, as well as improve air condition and HVAC and improve floorings at some schools.
The non-homestead operating millage renewal and 2-Mill hedge, according to the school district, aims to focus on teacher and staff salaries, funding for school equipment and overall maintenance.
To read more about the proposals, visit here.
Here is how the proposals will appear on the ballot:
Proposal 1
Shall Southgate Community School District, Wayne County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Twenty-Eight Million Dollars ($28,000,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, in one or more series, for the purpose of:
Erecting, furnishing, and equipping maintenance and athletic facilities; remodeling, furnishing, and refurnishing, and equipping and re-equipping school buildings, including for HVAC systems and school security; acquiring and installing instructional technology; and preparing, developing, and improving sites?
The following is for informational purposes only:
The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2025 is 0.35 mill ($0.35 each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a 0.00 mill net increase over the prior year’s levy. The maximum number of years the bonds of any series may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is twenty-five (25) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 1.54 mills ($1.54 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).
The school district does not expect to borrow from the State to pay debt service on the bonds. The total amount of qualified bonds currently outstanding is $68,065,000. The total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is $0.00. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.
(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)
Proposal 2
This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance.
The remaining .1262 mill is only available to be levied to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the “Headlee” amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will only be levied to the extent necessary to restore that reduction.
Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Southgate Community School District, Wayne County, Michigan, be renewed by 18.1262 mills ($18.1262 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2026 to 2035, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2026 is approximately $6,223,599 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2025 tax levy)?
Proposal 3
This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Southgate Community School District, Wayne County, Michigan, be increased by 2 mills ($2.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2026 to 2035, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes;
the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2026 is approximately $85,804 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore that reduction)?
To find your polling location in Southgate, visit here.
Ferndale Public Schools
In Ferndale, voters will decide on a nearly $115 million bond to update its middle and high schools and a renewals of the city’s operating millage.
Ferndale schools broke down how the bond will help its schools. You can view it here.
Here is how the proposal will appear like on the ballot:
Shall the Ferndale Public Schools, County of Oakland, State of Michigan, borrow the principal sum of not to exceed One Hundred Fourteen Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($114,800,000) and issue its unlimited tax general obligation bonds, in one or more series, to pay the cost of the following projects to create a modern learning environment for students and for health, safety, security, energy conservation and other purposes:
The annual debt millage required to retire all bonds of the School District currently outstanding, to be issued and proposed pursuant to this ballot is expected to remain at or below 7.00 mills which is an estimated -0- mill increase from the debt millage levied in 2024. The estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 1.35 mills ($1.35 per $1,000 of taxable value) and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire each series of the bonds is 3.58 mills annually ($3.58 per $1,000 of taxable value). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than thirty (30) years.
If approved by the voters, the repayment of the bonds will be guaranteed by the State under the School Bond Qualification and Loan Program (the “Program”). The School District currently has $94,885,000 of qualified bonds outstanding and $434,560 of qualified loans outstanding under the Program. The School District expects to borrow from the Program to pay debt service on these bonds. The estimated total principal amount of the additional borrowing is $50,668,773 and the estimated total interest thereon is $105,020,948. The estimated duration of the millage levy associated with that borrowing is 36 years. The estimated computed millage rate required to be levied to pay the proposed bonds may change in the future based on changes in certain circumstances.
(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, repair or maintenance costs or other operating expenses.)
To find your polling place in Ferndale, visit here.
Clawson
In Clawson, there won’t be a school bond proposal. Instead, there are proposals regarding city council terms.
Voters will decide on a charter amendment to limit the city council to four members and a mayor, blocking a previous plan to expand the council. If approved, council members would serve four-year terms every two years.
Here are how the proposals will appear on the ballot:
Charter Amendment No.1
Clawson Proposed Amendment Number 1 to maintain the size of the Clawson City Council at four members, plus the mayor
Under the City Charter adopted in 2023, commencing with the 2025 regular city election, the city council shall be expanded from four to six city council members, plus the mayor shall continue to be on the city council.
The proposed amendment will provide the Clawson City Council shall consist of four council members, plus the mayor shall continue to be on the city council.
Shall the amendment as proposed be adopted? This proposal is contingent on proposal 2 being approved by the voters at this election.
*Note: This has been the size of the council/commission as far back as 1920 and continued with the Incorporation of the City in 1940.
A “YES” vote will maintain the size of the Clawson City Council at four members, plus the mayor = (5) total council members.
A “NO” vote will expand the Clawson City Council to six members, plus the mayor = (7) total council members—as adopted in 2023.
Charter Amendment No. 2
Clawson Proposed Amendment Number 2 to set the term duration and election schedule of the Clawson City Council Members.
Under the current charter adopted in 2023, at the 2025 regular city election, four city council members shall be elected. the three highest vote-getters shall hold office for a term of four years. The fourth highest vote-getter shall hold office for a term of two years.
The proposed amendment will provide that the Clawson City Council Member shall be elected to four-year terms every two years.
Shall the amendment as proposed by adopted? This proposal is contingent on proposal 1 being approved by the voters at this election.
A ”YES” vote will allow Clawson City Council Members to be elected to four-year terms every two years.
A “NO” vote will provide for four city council members to be elected with the three highest vote-getters holding office for a term of four years and the fourth highest vote-getter holding office for a term of two years—as adopted in 2023.
To find your polling place in Clawson, visit here.
