Washtenaw County voters will decide a number of millage requests on their Nov. 5 ballots. Here’s what you need to know. The list includes explanatory information (What’s a Sinking Fund?), news coverage and opinion pieces published the The Ann Arbor Independent.

Despite Detroit’s status, Wayne County is not the Michigan county with the highest property taxes.

Michigan has some of the highest property tax rates in the country. The Great Lake State’s average effective property tax rate is 1.32%, well above the national average of 0.99%. The highest property taxes belong to Washtenaw County, where residents pay roughly $1,400 more in property taxes per year than Wayne County residents. With an average of $4,039 (or 1.76% of median home value) yearly in property taxes, Washtenaw is the 71st of the country’s 3,143 counties ranked in order of median property taxes according to tax-rates.org. Read More: Which Michigan County Pays the Highest Property Taxes? 25 Michigan Counties With the Highest Property Taxes.

Washtenaw County Proposals

Washtenaw County Proposal 1
Renewal and restoration of the Enhanced Emergency Communications System
Millage
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed each year for all purposes
taxable property in Washtenaw County, Michigan be increased by 0.200 mill ($0.20 per thousand
dollars of taxable value) for a period of ten (10) years, 2026 to 2035, inclusive, as a renewal of the
0.0960 mills previously authorized by the electors which expires with the 2025 tax levy as reduced
by the operation of the Headlee amendment, plus new additional millage as a restoration of 0.009
mills, for the sole purpose of providing funds to the County for the acquisition, renovation,
maintenance, upgrade and operation of the County’s Enhanced Emergency Communications
System, including the potential construction of additional towers, upgrading the existing
infrastructure, purchasing equipment, and paying for maintenance and user fees? If approved and
levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $4,493,654 when first levied in 2026.

Washtenaw County Proposal 2
Renewal and restoration of the Veteran’s Relief Millage

VETERAN AFFAIRS	VETERAN AFFAIRS MANAGER	NON UNION	$75,236.20	Veterans Relief Fund
VETERAN AFFAIRS	VETERAN SERVICES DIRECTOR	NON UNION	$94,732.82	Veterans Relief Fund
VETERAN AFFAIRS	VETERANS OFFICE COORDINATOR	AFSCME 2733 B	$40,156.74	Veterans Relief Fund
VETERAN AFFAIRS	VETERANS SERVICES OFFICER	AFSCME 2733 A	$62,462.14	Veterans Relief Fund
VETERAN AFFAIRS	VETERANS SERVICES OFFICER	AFSCME 2733 A	$54,237.56	Veterans Relief Fund

This program offers no direct services and employs five full-time staffers, including a Veteran Services Dir. and a Veteran Affair Manager. The Dept. employs County staff to help veterans fill out forms and applications for services from federal and state agencies. The Food Voucher Program ended 11 months ago, and despite having five full-time employees, hours of service are extremely limited. https://www.washtenaw.org/959/Veterans-Affairs

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable property in the
County of Washtenaw, Michigan, be increased by 0.100 mill ($0.10 per thousand dollars of taxable
value) of the taxable value for a period of eight (8) years, 2024 to 2031, inclusive, as a renewal of
that portion of the 0.100 mill authorization previously authorized by the electors in 2016 as
reduced by the operation of the Headlee amendment, which was 0.0960 mill in 2023, plus new
additional millage representing a restoration of the amount equal to the amount reduced by
operation of the Headlee amendment, which was 0.004 mill in 2023, to provide funds to
Washtenaw County for the purpose of funding the Washtenaw County Department of Veterans
Affairs’ provision of financial relief and services for Washtenaw County veterans, including the
payment of eligible indigent veteran claims, and to fund the administration of the department? If
approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $2,197,389 when first levied in

Washtenaw County Proposal 3
Establishing an Older Persons Services Millage (New Millage)
Shall the limitation on the total amount of taxes which may be levied against taxable property
within Washtenaw County, Michigan, be increased by up to 0.5000 mill ($0.50 per thousand
dollars of taxable value) for a period of eight (8) years, 2024 to 2031, inclusive, as a new additional
millage for the purpose of providing funding for activities and services for older persons (age 60 or
older) in Washtenaw County? If approved and levied in full this millage will raise an estimated
$11,584,031 in the first year.

Washtenaw County Proposal 4
Renewal and restoration of the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health and
Public Safety Preservation Millage
Coverage from the Ann Arbor Independent:

A2Politico: County Pols Plan to “Protect” the Mental Health Millage. They’re Five Years Late & $35M Short

Postcard Paid for With Mental Health Millage Money Claims “Dramatic” Increases in Services

Residents Refused Mental Health Services While CMH Spends Millage Money on Consultants, PR and Paid “News” Coverage

Expenditure of Mental Health Millage Money to Fund Sheriff Candidate’s Run for Office Must End

County Sheriff Spends Mental Health and Public Safety Millage Money on New Boat, New Furnishings, Graphic Design, and Bogus Therapy Program

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable property in the
County of Washtenaw, Michigan, be increased by 1.000 mill ($1.00 per thousand dollars of taxable
value) of the taxable value for a period of eight (8) years, 2026 to 2033, inclusive, as a renewal of
that portion of the 1.000 mill authorization previously authorized by the electors in 2017 as
reduced by the operation of the Headlee amendment, which was 0.9693 mill in 2023, plus new
additional millage representing a restoration of the amount equal to the amount reduced by
operation of the Headlee amendment, which was 0.0307 mill in 2023, to provide funds to the
Washtenaw County Community Mental Health Department, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office,
local governments which have their own police force for the purposes of improving the treatment of
people with mental health needs; providing increased financial support for mental health crisis,
stabilization and prevention; and for continued law enforcement services to be distributed as
follows: 38% shall be allocated to Washtenaw County’s Community Mental Health Department;
38% shall be allocated to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office; and 24% shall be allocated to
jurisdictions in the County which maintain their own police force (currently Ann Arbor, Chelsea,
Milan, Saline, Ypsilanti, Pittsfield Township and Northfield Township) in proportion to their
respective 2023 population values. If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an
estimated $22,409,411 when first levied in 2026.

City Proposals

City of Ann Arbor Proposal A
Ann Arbor City Charter Amendment
Creation of a Sustainable Energy Utility

Coverage from The Ann Arbor Independent:

Why “Ann Arbor for Public Power” Should Scare You to Death

The City of Ann Arbor proposes to create within its boundaries an opt-in, publicly-owned
Sustainable Energy Utility (“SEU”) to (i) supply, generate, transmit, distribute, and store electricity,
heat, cooling, light, and power (all from renewable sources); and (ii) provide energy-related
services. The SEU could, for example, provide individual or networked rooftop solar panels, heat
pumps, geothermal systems, or batteries to customers to supplement existing utility services. The
SEU will be fee-based. This proposal does not authorize new taxes.
Shall the Charter be amended to authorize the City to establish, construct, own, and operate an
opt-in Sustainable Energy Utility?

City of Ann Arbor Proposal B
Ann Arbor City Charter Amendment
Authorizing Tax for Park Maintenance and Capital Improvements
Shall the Charter be amended to authorize a tax up to 1.10 mills for park maintenance and capital
improvements for 2025 through 2044 to replace the previously authorized tax for park
maintenance and capital improvements for 2019 through 2024, which will raise in the first year of
the levy an estimated revenue of $8,519,150? In accordance with State law, a portion of the
millage may be subject to capture by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the
Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

City of Ann Arbor Proposal C
Ann Arbor City Charter Amendment
Non-Partisan Elections

Coverage from The Ann Arbor Independent:

Anti-Prop C Group Sends Out Dark Money Mailers: Pro-Prop C Organizer Debunks the Propaganda

City Officials Distort Reality and Obscure the Truth to Attack Ann Arbor Prop C

A2Politico: Anti-Prop C Group Says Jesus, The Ghost of Mother Theresa, and Diddy Oppose Nonpartisan Elections

It is proposed City Charter Sections 13.4, 13.8, and 13.11 be amended to provide for election of
non-partisan candidates for those offices by filing of nominating petitions and removal of reference
to a candidate’s party designation on the ballot. Shall this proposed amendment to the Ann Arbor
City Charter be adopted?

City of Ann Arbor Proposal D
Ann Arbor City Charter Amendment
Fair Elections Fund

Coverage from The Ann Arbor Independent:

AG’s Objections to Amending Ann Arbor Charter to Establish Fair Elections Fund Are Legally Misguided

It is proposed that the City Charter be amended to add Section 13.17 to provide for a continuing
and non-lapsing Fair Elections Fund with three-tenths of one percent of the City’s general fund, as
appropriated by City Council for the purpose of public financing for participating candidates for City
Council and Mayor who voluntarily agree to receive contributions in lower amounts and only from
natural persons. Shall this proposed amendment to the Ann Arbor City Charter be adopted?

City of Dexter – 1 Proposal
A proposal to amend the Dexter City Charter to insert language related to City owned land bounded by Alpine Street, Main Street, Mill Creek, and the Railroad

Shall the Dexter City Charter be amended to insert language relating to the City-owned land
bounded by Alpine Street, Main Street, Mill Creek, and the railroad to retain the land in public
ownership, in perpetuity, and devote the land to active recreation, passive recreation, or both?

City of Saline
City of Saline Proposal A Proposed amendment to Saline City Charter Section 3.3 regarding elected
terms of office of the Mayor and City Council

Are longer terms good for the politicians or the public? Some different opinions and research:

“Of the cities that impose limits, most (55 percent) limit the mayor to two terms, 30 percent set the maximum to three terms, and 9 percent allow four terms. Larger cities are most likely to impose term limits. Where term limits are imposed, 54 percent impose a two-term limit, and 28 percent impose a three-term limit. Some cities do not limit the number of total terms that may be served, but rather place a limit on successive terms. These limits can vary within a state – two-thirds of these cities mandate limits by city charters or ordinances – or can be set by state law.”–National League of Cities.

Currently, the Saline City Charter sets the elected terms of the Mayor and
Councilpersons at two years, and uses gender specific pronouns.
It is proposed that the Charter be amended to provide terms of office of the Mayor and
Councilpersons to four years terms beginning in 2026, after elections to three years
terms in 2025, to create staggered terms of offices; and to make all references therein
gender-neutral.
Shall the amendment as proposed be adopted?

City of Saline Proposal B
Proposed amendment to Saline City Charter Section 3.3 regarding
compensation of the Mayor and City Council

How a Local Officers Compensation Commission works: The people who will serve on the Saline Local Officers Compensation Commission will be appointed by the Mayor and Council. Those political appointees will, then, absent any limits, set the pay rates of the elected officials who appointed them. Then, the Mayor and Council will vote on their own pay raises proposed by the political appointees on the Local Officers Compensation Commission. Another way to address the issue of pay for the Mayor and Council would be to change the City Charter.

Currently, the Saline City Charter establishes the compensation of the Mayor and
Councilpersons. It is proposed that the Charter be amended to provide that compensation of the Mayor
and Councilpersons be established by a Local Officers Compensation Commission in a
manner consistent with State law.
Shall the amendment as proposed be adopted?

School District Proposals

What’s a Sinking Fund?

A sinking fund is a method for school districts in Michigan to raise money for school building repairs and improvements through a tax levy. Contributing to a sinking fund increases annual costs.

How the money is spent? All work paid for by sinking funds must be competitively bid and contracted. Sinking funds cannot be used to pay for instructional programs or salaries. 

Sinking funds can be used for a variety of purposes, including: 

• Construction or repair of school buildings 
• Acquisition or improvement of sites 
• School security improvements 
• Technology upgrades 
• Student transportation vehicles

Lincoln Consolidated School District
Sinking Fund Millage Proposal

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Lincoln
Consolidated School District, Washtenaw and Wayne Counties, Michigan, be increased by and the
board of education be authorized to levy not to exceed 2 mills ($2.00 on each $1,000 of taxable
valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2025 to 2034, inclusive, to create a sinking fund for the
purchase of real estate for sites for, and the construction or repair of, school buildings; for school
security improvements; for the acquisition or upgrading of technology; for the acquisition of student
transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used for the
maintenance of student transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of eligible trucks and vans used
to carry parts, equipment, and personnel for or in the maintenance of school buildings; for the
acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used to maintain such trucks and vans; and all other
purposes authorized by law; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage
is approved and levied in 2025 is approximately $2,616,487?

Milan Area Schools
Sinking Fund Millage Proposal

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Milan
Area Schools, Washtenaw and Monroe Counties, Michigan, be increased by and the board of
education be authorized to levy not to exceed 1.5 mills ($1.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation)
for a period of 10 years, 2025 to 2034, inclusive, to create a sinking fund for the construction or
repair of school buildings; for school security improvements; for the acquisition or upgrading of
technology; for the acquisition of student transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of parts,
supplies, and equipment used for the maintenance of student transportation vehicles; for the
acquisition of eligible trucks and vans used to carry parts, equipment, and personnel for or in the
maintenance of school buildings; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used to
maintain such trucks and vans; and all other purposes authorized by law; the estimate of the
revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2025 is approximately
$1,177,230?

Whitmore Lake Public Schools

Whitmore Lake Public School District Sinking Fund Millage Proposal

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in
Whitmore Lake Public School District, Washtenaw and Livingston Counties, Michigan,
be increased by and the board of education be authorized to levy not to exceed 1.5 mills
($1.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2025 to 2034,
inclusive, to create a sinking fund for the construction or repair of school buildings; for
school security improvements; for the acquisition or upgrading of technology; for the
acquisition of student transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and
equipment used for the maintenance of student transportation vehicles; for the
acquisition of eligible trucks and vans used to carry parts, equipment, and personnel for
or in the maintenance of school buildings; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and
equipment used to maintain such trucks and vans; and all other purposed authorized by
law; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved
and levied in 2025 is approximately $824,424?

Township Proposals

Ann Arbor Township

Proposal to Renew Ann Arbor Township Land Preservation Millage

The appointed members of the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board recently proposed updating the group’s Bylaws and removing this conflict of interest clause to guard against self-dealing by the members of the Board: “Under Section VI Quorum; Voting; Selection, 2nd paragraph, strike the last sentence: No members shall vote on the selection of a parcel for the purchase of Development Rights if such member has an ownership interest in such parcel or a parcel adjacent to the parcel being considered and shall abstain from discussion and voting as described in Section VII below.”

Shall the previously authorized millage for Ann Arbor Charter Township, Washtenaw County,
Michigan of up to 0.6644 mills for Land Preservation, which expired on December 31, 2023, be
renewed and levied for another five years (2024 through 2028 inclusive) in an amount not to
exceed 0.6644 mills on taxable real and personal property ($.6644 per $1000 of taxable value) to
fund the purchase of development rights for the permanent preservation of farmland and open
space in Ann Arbor Charter Township, raising an estimated $478,749.17 in the first year it is
authorized and levied?

Freedom Township
Road Maintenance Millage Renewal
(Road Maintenance)

Shall Freedom Township be allowed to impose a millage increase in the tax limitation imposed
under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution by levy of .2497 mills for road maintenance
and improvements ($0.25 per $1,000 of taxable value) for a period of 4 years, 2024 through 2027
inclusive, which millage will raise an estimated $62,285.20 in the first year of levy. This is a new
millage proposal intended to supersede, rescind and replace the previously authorized millage for
road maintenance in the Township that is due to expired on December 31, 2024.
Should the proposal be approved?

Lodi Township Proposal A
Road Improvement and Maintenance Millage Proposal

Shall the previous voted increase expiring in 2024 in the tax limitations imposed under Article IX,
Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Lodi Township, of 1.00 mills ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable
value), and unchanged by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at up to 1.00 mills ($1.00 per
$1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 5 years, 2025 through 2029 inclusive, for Improvement
and/or Maintenance of Roads within Lodi Township, raising an estimated $567,183 in the first year
the millage is levied of which a portion will be disbursed to such other or fewer local units of
government as the Township Board determines appropriate.

Lodi Township Proposal B

Shall Lodi Township amend Ordinance No. 2019-004 pursuant to the Michigan Regulation and
Taxation of Marihuana Act, 2018 IL 1, MCL 333.27951 et seq to provide for five adult use grower
and two processor, but no other, establishments to be allowed to operate in the township limits.
Shall the Proposal be Adopted?

Manchester Township Millage Renewal Proposal A
Road Maintenance and Improvement Millage

Shall the previous voted increases in the tax limitations imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the
Michigan Constitution in Manchester Township, of 0.35 mills ($0.35 per $1,000 of Taxable value),
reduced to 0.3427 mills ($0.3427 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be
renewed at and increased up to the original voted 0.35 mills ($0.35 per $1,000 of taxable value)
and levied for five (5) years, 2025 through 2029 inclusive, for the improvement, repair, and
maintenance of roads located within Manchester Township, raising an estimated $63,471.98 in the
first year the millage is levied.

Scio Township
Fire Protection Millage Proposal

Shall an increase in tax limitation authorized by the Police and Fire Protection Act, (PA 33 of
1951), imposed on all taxable real and tangible personal property in the Township of Scio, County
of Washtenaw, Michigan, be enacted in an amount not to exceed 2.70 mills ($2.70 on each
$1,000.00 of taxable value), for a period of 12 years, beginning in the year 2025 (December tax
bill) and ending in the year 2036, inclusive, as a replacement of the current millage (1.35 mills) for
the purpose of:
 providing funds for the Township’s fire, rescue and first responder emergency medical
services (non-transporting) for expenses including construction and operation of a
second fire station;
 for fire fighters and administrative staff adequate to provide service from 2 fire stations;
 for replacement and additional fire apparatus and equipment acquisition for 2 fire stations;
 for improvements, renovations, repair and maintenance of existing facilities and
equipment;
 for related program support for the Township’s fire and first responder emergency medical
services
It is estimated that 2.70 mills would raise approximately $4,597,351 when first levied in
December 2025.
Should this proposal be approved?