Talk is turning into action for the Clarkston School Board.
Discussion continued at great length at the Jan. 9 board meeting on the issue of ballot language for their non-homestead tax proposal. The district’s previous millages expired at the end of 2005.
The Thrun Law Firm is fine-tuning the language of the proposal, and if agreed upon by the board at their next meeting on Jan. 23, will be set for the May 2 election.
The school board agreed to pursue approval for a non-homestead millage renewal in the district, estimated to be 19.2491 mills, for a period of 10 years. However, the district is only allowed to collect 18 mills annually by law.
‘We could get our community to pass 100 mills, we’d still only collect the 18 mills they (the State government) expect by law,? Superintendent Dr. Al Roberts said at the beginning of discussion. ‘Regardless of your decision as the school board… the community will support us collecting the 18 mills that we are expected to collect by law.?
If approved by voters, the millage would be in effect until 2015, but due to Headlee rollback, the board could possibly seek additional renewals in the next 2-4 years in order to keep the millage rate at or above 18 mills.
For the past several weeks, the board discussed adding a second millage to the ballot asking for an additional 4.5 ‘restoration? mills to offset the effects of the 1978 Headlee Amendment.
‘The only thing you need to ask yourselves is where do you want to be in two years,? said Anita Banach, director of communications and marketing. ‘If we want to be back at this issue, then you would just go for (option one). If we want make a stab at not being back at the issue in two years then go for (both options).?
Before agreeing to pursue the 10 year proposal, several board members discussed the time length.
When discussing the length of the new proposal, Vice President Stephen Hyer was supportive of passing both millage options for 10 years.
‘I personally do not want to have this conversation again in two years,? Hyer said.
‘We spent a lot of time on this issue,? he added, saying he thought the board should be spending their time on other topics.
Trustee Barry Bomier raised an objection to passing such a proposal, saying a shorter period between renewals would keep the issue more familiar to voters.
‘The risk that we run by putting 10 years on the ballot in today’s situation is voters are going to say no,? Bomier said. ‘I’d rather hold back a little, not be quite as aggressive.?
Trustee Joan Patterson also supported shortening the time between elections with millage discussions.
‘I know our voters will support us, but I’d like (to) look back again in two years, look at our situation and report back what we’re doing.? Patterson said.
‘But Joan keep in mind too, I think we should communicate often and our communication should be as transparent as possible. However, we don’t want to be communicating on tax issues, non-homestead issues and Headlee rollbacks which the public doesn’t understand,? Hyer replied. ‘It’s not really our job to educate them on those issues, it’s the State’s job. I’d rather communicate with them about the excellent programs we have, the excellent curriculum we have, the great things our students are doing. So let’s not waste our entire communication dollars, our entire communication efforts, communicating on a tax issue that we should collect anyway.?
‘The bottom line for me is that we must collect the 18 mills,? Roberts reiterated. ‘The question I believe board members should be asking themselves tonight is ‘Which of those two options ensures that we will collect the 18 mills until we go to the ballot again???
President Karen Foyteck voiced her concern over the second proposal, saying voters may become confused.
‘That’s confusing, two proposals for the same number of years with a different number on both proposals,? Foyteck said. ‘I’m concerned that we’re going to be criticized and people are going to say it’s a stealth thing here and we’re trying to do it under the table.?
Trustee John Koval also supported the second millage for ten years, but discussion steered away the second option.
The board’s final decision of the evening came as a compromise. Though the second millage option was dropped, the board agreed to extend the length of first option to ten years.
In the event Headlee rollback brings the proposed millage rate below 18 mills, the board would then have to seek an additional millage to compensate. Regardless if any additional ‘restoration? millages are voted down, the original millage would remain in effect until 2015.