We hope this makes it easier for you to decide “Yes” or “No.”

The complex legal and technical language required for ballot measures can make understanding the choices difficult. 

As we did for the August primary, we aim to break down the wording of the upcoming Washtenaw County ballot proposals for the November 5th election. We hope this makes it easier for readers to participate in the democratic process with confidence.

In addition to any ballot measures you may be asked about specific to your city or township, every Washtenaw County voter in the November election will be asked to consider five ballot measures related to countywide programs. 

Despite the overall simplicity of these measures, the language is harder to understand than usual because of a complicated piece of Michigan law called the Headlee Amendment.  This amendment limits the total amount that can be collected by taxing authorities in certain cases. The Headlee Amendment was triggered for several Washtenaw County-area taxes in 2023.  As such, the amount charged to taxpayers in the last few tax cycles was lower than the actual voter-approved amount, otherwise known as “rolled back.”

Three of the five Washtenaw County proposals refer to this Headlee Amendment. All the extra words about different mill rates in these measures are simply a legal way to express that the rate being charged has been a little bit less than the rate that voters approved previously. If approved again, the rate will be restored to the originally approved mill rate or, if specifically stated, increased. 

Proposal 1
Proposal 1 asks Washtenaw County voters to renew and restore the Enhanced Emergency Communication Millage at an increased rate of .200 mills. The purpose of the millage is to provide “funds to the County for the acquisition, renovation, maintenance, upgrade, and operation of the County’s Enhanced Emergency Communications System, including the potential construction of additional towers, upgrading the existing infrastructure, purchasing equipment, and paying for maintenance and user fees.” 

The proposed mill rate for this is .200 mills. If approved, this means the county would collect a tax of $.20 for every $1000 of a property’s taxable value.  A home with a taxable value of $200,000 would generate about $40 per year to cover the cost of this Enhanced Emergency Communication System. That same property owner would have paid about $21 at the previous mill rate. This tax would be collected for ten years, from 2026-2035.

Proposal 2
Washtenaw County Proposal 2 asks voters to renew funding for the Washtenaw County Department of Veterans Affairs. Previously approved by voters in 2016, the .100 mill rate was rolled back to .0960 in 2023 because of the Headlee Amendment and now expires in 2024. 

The Washtenaw County Department of Veterans Affairs provides “financial relief and services for Washtenaw County veterans, including the payment of eligible indigent veteran claims, and to fund the administration of the department.” 

If approved, the mill rate would be restored to .100 and would be collected for eight years, from 2024 through 2031. A home with a taxable value of $200,000 would generate about $20.00 per year for this program. The same taxpayer would have been charged $19.20 in a year affected by the Headlee Amendment. 

Proposal 3
Proposal 3 asks voters to establish new funding for an Older Persons Services Millage. This new tax would “provide funding for activities and services for older persons (age 60 or older) in Washtenaw County.”

If approved, the mill rate would be “up to .500 mill” and would be collected for eight years, from 2024 through 2031. A property with a taxable value of $200,000 would generate up to–but no more than–$100 per year for this county program. 

Proposal 4
Washtenaw County Proposal 4 is asking voters to continue funding the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health and Public Safety Preservation Millage, which was first approved by voters in 2017. Since it was subject to the Headlee Amendment in 2023, this measure is asking voters to renew the millage at the originally approved rate of 1.000 mills.  A property with a taxable value of $200,000 would generate $200 per year for this program. In a year affected by the Headlee amendment, the same taxpayer would have been charged $193.86.

The taxes generated will “provide funds to the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health Department, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, local governments which have their own police force for the purposes of improving the treatment of people with mental health needs; providing increased financial support for mental health crisis, stabilization and prevention; and for continued law enforcement services to be distributed as follows: 38% shall be allocated to Washtenaw County’s Community Mental Health Department; 38% shall be allocated to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office; and 24% shall be allocated to jurisdictions in the County which maintain their own police force (currently Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Milan, Saline, Ypsilanti, Pittsfield Township and Northfield Township).” 

Washtenaw Intermediate School District Proposal 1
The fifth proposal for Washtenaw County voters would be collected by the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) rather than the county itself because the programs covered by the taxes this generates are to provide special education services to public school districts within Washtenaw County. This distinction is important because some school districts within Washtenaw County have boundaries that extend beyond the county border. 

This measure is asking voters to renew the existing WISD millage at its voter-approved, current rate of 2.3826 mills. If renewed, the mill would be collected for twelve years, from 2026 through 2037. A property with a taxable value of $200,000 would generate $476.52 per year for this school district program. 

For this measure, it is important to note that each school district is required by law to provide necessary special education services for all students who qualify.  Most public schools in Michigan pay for special education programs and services in two ways–through funding and services provided by WISD (this measure) and through funding from their own district budgets.  Because special education services are required by law, if this millage is rejected, the school districts will simply have to make up the missing funds by digging further into their regular operating budgets, thereby reducing the district’s amounts for other budget areas. 

The most definitive characteristic of a healthy democracy is the act of voting, where every registered voter has the right to have their voice counted equally. As true allegiants of our communities and our country, it’s part of our societal responsibility to be well-informed voters.