By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
Residents in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights will have three millages to vote on in the March 10 Michigan presidential primary election in addition to presidential candidates.
Some voters in Dearborn Heights will see a Crestwood School District Operating Millage proposal and Westwood Community Schools District Sinking Fund Millage proposal on their ballots.
All residents in Wayne County will see the Wayne County Art Institute Authority Millage, and every voter in Michigan will have Democratic and Republican presidential candidates on their ballot.
The Crestwood millage is on a ballot for the third time after voters denied it in August and November. This non-homestead millage proposal could raise $40,000 for Crestwood. According to the ballot language, the proposal would 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.”
Crestwood Supt. Youssef Mosallam said the millage is a renewal and impacts only businesses.
“We have already earmarked that $40,000 to support our robotics program and other technology programs such as this video production unit,” he said in a Feb. 5 video centered on the millage. “We ask that our community look for the non-homestead millage renewal on their ballot this coming election as well as the absentee ballots that you pick up from the clerk’s office or have delivered to your home.”
The Westwood Community School District has a sinking fund for voters to decide on which the district hasn’t had since 2007. According to the millage section of the district’s website the proposal would levy 3.0 mills over a 10-year period to generate approximately $7.8 million.
Anyone registered to vote who lives in the Westwood Community School District can vote on the millage regardless if they own, lease or rent their property.
According to the ballot language, “Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Westwood Community School District, Wayne County, Michigan, be increased by and the board of education be authorized to levy not to exceed 3 mills ($3.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2020 to 2029?”
The sinking fund would be created for construction or repairs of school buildings, school security improvements, acquisition or upgrading of technology and all other renovations authorized by law.
Westwood plans to renovate buildings including roofing, replace windows and doors, repair sidewalks, and enhance safety and security with camera installations in addition to upgrades to address aging heating, electrical and plumbing systems.
A total of $775,812 will be collected in 2020 for the district from the millage.
The DIA Detroit Art Institute Authority Millage was approved in 2012 for 10 years by voters in Wayne County to provide residents with services from the DIA through the authority.
If renewed, the 0.2 mill on all taxable property located within the county from 2022 to 2031 will continue. The cost for a home worth $150,000 equals $15 a year.
“As a result of the millage, the DIA provides Wayne County residents with free K-12 school field trips including free transportation, free senior group programming with free transportation, and unlimited free general admission,” the ballot reads. “To ensure transparency, the DIA submits to an annual independent audit and posts financial reports online.”
The ballot also says revenue from millage will be disbursed to the authority and transferred to the DIA as permitted by and for the purposes set forth in Public Act 296 of 2010.
If approved by the voters and levied, the millage renewal would generate approximately $8.5 million in 2022. In addition to Wayne County, voters in Oakland and Macomb counties will be voting on the millage renewal and counties that approve it will continue to receive services from the DIA.
During a Feb. 25 Dearborn Heights City Council meeting, Wayne County Commissioner David Knezek talked about the upcoming election, encouraged everybody to participate and said he supports the DIA millage.
“You’ll also see, depending on where you live, a number of additional items that will be on your ballot as it relates to the county — you will see a millage renewal for the DIA,” he said. ”Again, I’m not telling you how to vote on that but I can tell you that I personally am supporting that — I see the work that is done by the DIA in our community, the bringing of seniors downtown and the work they’re doing within our schools and with our students. I think the return on investment is great.”
In the presidential primary, the Democratic candidates are former Vice President Joe Biden; former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg; U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard; and U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, and Elizabeth Warren.
Former U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet; U.S. Sen. Cory Booker; former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro; U.S. Reps. John Delaney and Joe Sestak; Marianne Williamson and Andrew Yang will be on the ballot but have dropped out of the presidential race.
On the Republican side of the ballot are President Donald Trump and former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld. Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh will be on the ballot but have dropped out of the presidential race.
For more information on the election, candidates or proposals go to www.vote411.org.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected])