Washtenaw County government put four proposals before voters and the Washtenaw Intermediate School District added another. All five of the measures won voter approval.
Proposal 1 renews and restores the county’s enhanced emergency communications system. The 10-year, two-mill levy will allow for further acquisitions, upgrades, renovations and maintenance of the system. County officials put the measure on the ballot well before the current millage will expire at the end of 2025. The new tax will be collected beginning in 2026 and run through 2035. It is expected it will generate nearly $4.5 million in the first year of collections.
Proposal 2 is designed to serve veterans in Washtenaw County. The eight-year, 0.1-mill Veterans Relief Millage will offer a dedicated funding source to the County’s Department of Veterans Affairs to provide financial relief and services to veterans in need. The county anticipates the levy will generate $2.1 million when first collected in December of this year. The millage will run through the end of 2031.
Voters in Washtenaw County also approved an eight-year, half-mill tax to provide funding for those who are 60 years of age and older. The Older Persons Services Millage will generate about $11.6 when collected for the first time this year. Voter approval of Proposal 3 will allow the tax to be collected through the end of 2031. The money will be used to provide services and activities for community members moving up in age.
Proposal 4 is a renewal measure with some changes. The Washtenaw County Community Mental Health and Public Safety Preservation Millage had raised concerns about the amount of money dedicated to the Sheriff’s office. Back in June, the Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance redirecting how the Sheriff’s Office spends the money it receives. It also created a public safety advisory committee. Passage of the eight-year, one-mill renewal means when the current millage expires at the end of 2025, this renewed and restored millage will be collected from 2026-2033. It is expected to generate $22.4 million in the first year of collection.
The tax money will be distributed as such:
- 38% to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office.
- 38% to Washtenaw County's Mental Health Department.
- 24% to jurisdictions in the County which maintain their own police force. (Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Milan, Saline, Ypsilanti, Pittsfield Township and Northfield Township)
Voters also supported renewal of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District’s Special Education Millage. It provides funding for the education of students with a disability. The 12-year, 2.38-mill levy will generate an estimated $57-million in the first year of collection. That tax will be collected from 2026-2037.
Non-commercial, fact based reporting is made possible by your financial support. Make your donation to WEMU today to keep your community NPR station thriving.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
Contact WEMU News at 734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
