Here is the text of the Washtenaw Schools Millage proposal, now formally named “Proposal I.” There are two important things to remember when you read this proposal:

• Every aspect of this proposal is governed by state law. The way revenues will be collected, and distributed across school districts, is all specified in the laws that govern school finance. The only flexibility we had was to choose a millage rate, which is capped at 3 mills in state law. The Washtenaw school districts chose a lower level which allows them to fend off the worst of the funding cuts while not asking our communities for more than was absolutely necessary. If this millage passes, it can be renewed at the end of five years, but the law does not permit more than one such millage at a time.
• The state law which provides this one exception to the strict limits of Proposal A refers to this kind of millage as an “enhancement” millage. This language presumes that state funding will be adequate, and that any other revenue will simply “enhance” school offerings. As we all know now, state funding is hardly adequate, and the revenue from this millage would be used simply to soften the impact of funding cuts. However, the ballot proposal must follow the language in the state law.

Washtenaw Intermediate School District

PROPOSAL I
REGIONAL ENHANCEMENT MILLAGE PROPOSAL

Pursuant to state law, the revenue raised by the proposed millage will be collected by the intermediate school district and distributed to local public school districts based on pupil membership count.

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Washtenaw Intermediate School District, Michigan, be increased by 2 mills ($2.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 5 years, 2009 to 2013, inclusive, to provide operating funds to enhance other state and local funding for local school district operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2009 is approximately $30,000,000?

____ Yes ____ No