A Story of Taxes

May 6 Millage is a Renewal

Some messages are worth repeating.

A few weeks ago I wrote about Fremont schools’ critical millage renewal request coming up on May 6. I told you about the twist in the law that requires school districts to ask homeowners to approve a millage that homeowners don’t actually pay.

It truly is one of the more fascinating ways we pay for public education, and four points I made earlier bear repeating.

1. Proposal A, passed in 1993-1994, requires the State to pay only the majority of the cost to educate our students. Schools receive the balance by collecting 18 mills on non-homestead property in the district.

2. While homeowners vote on the tax, the tax is not applied to them. Primary residences are exempt.

The tax is applied only on non-homestead properties. It is paid only by people who have second homes in the school district and by certain businesses: apartments, rental homes, vacant land, and commercial and industrial properties.

3. The 18 mills Fremont schools collect must be renewed every 5 years.

The revenue generated from the 18 mills means more than $2.5 million annually to Fremont schools - more than 10 percent of our budget - which explains the critical nature of the renewal vote.

4. If voters do not support these 18 mills, the state does not make it up. The State always assumes we will collect these 18 mills; their payment to us will always factor in this money.

Please vote on May 6. Your support for our students is essential to their education.

 

Benefit Will Help Teacher

At age 29, Angie Kurtz, a middle school special education teacher, was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.  She is undergoing treatment at the Detroit Karmanos Cancer Institute. Angie is not able to work, and her treatment requires traveling and lodging expenses in Detroit.

A benefit dinner and auction for Angie and her family has been organized for Saturday, May 31, at 6:30 p.m. at St Michael’s Church in Brunswick. Individual tickets are $7, family tickets $25, and may be purchased at the door or in advance at Fremont Middle School. Donations can be sent or dropped off to “The Angie Kurtz Benefit Fund” at any Fifth Third Bank or the Newaygo County Service Employees Credit Union.

 

John D. Kingsnorth
Superintendent
Fremont Public Schools
(231) 924-2350
jkingsnorth@fremont.net