Voters to Consider Operating Millage Proposal on August 4, 2026

On August 4, 2026, voters will consider an operating millage proposal at a special election.

This current operating millage expires in 2026. This millage does NOT apply to a family's principal residences.

If approved, Kingsley Area Schools would collect a tax on non-homestead properties, such as businesses, rental properties, and second homes, between 2027 and 2031.

The millage will continue to provide funding for things like...

• Teacher salaries

• Heat, electric, and water bills

• Infrastructure and building repair

• Curriculum

The millage will provide more than $1.9 million to the general fund budget in 2027.

If the millage is not approved, the district would lose approximately $1,377 per pupil next year.

What every taxpayer should know about the operating millage proposal:

• Will cost $0 for most homeowners. The 18-mill levy costs the principal residence homeowner zero dollars ($0 per year). Owned principal residences do not pay the 18-mill tax. The tax is levied on businesses, second homes, rental properties, vacant land, and other non-homestead property. A person's principal residence is exempt from this 18-mill school operating tax under Michigan law.

• This millage is a major source of KAS' operations budget. All Michigan school districts must levy 18 mills on non-homestead property to receive their full foundation allowance – the major source of funding for Michigan schools. If the operating millage proposal is not approved for 2027, per-pupil revenue for Kingsley Area Schools would equate to a loss of $1.9 million in district funding.

You can learn more about this at upcoming information sessions hosted by Superintendent Joshua T. Rothwell:

• Monday, July 13 @5:00PM in the High School Media Center

  
  

• Monday, July 27 @5:30PM in the High School Media Center

What is a non-homestead operating millage?

Owned principal residences do not pay the 18-mills tax ($0 per year). All Michigan school districts must levy 18 mills on non-homestead property to receive their full foundation allowance – the major source of funding for Michigan schools. The operating millage is a levy on non-homestead properties that are not an owned primary residence or qualified agricultural property, such as a business, vacation home, or investment and rental property.

The money the District receives from the millage supports day-to-day operations, including salaries for teachers and staff. This represents approximately 10.44% of the total fiscal year 2026 revenues.

Would tax rates increase for owned principal residences if voters approve the millage?

No. The 18-mill levy costs the principal residence homeowner zero dollars ($0 per year). Owned principal residences do not pay the 18-mill tax. The operating millage levy applies to non-homestead properties such as businesses, vacation homes, investment and rental properties.

Why is a non-homestead millage important for Michigan school districts?

All school districts in Michigan must levy 18 mills on non-homestead property within district boundaries, such as a business, vacation home, investment and rental property, to receive their full foundation allowance, or per pupil funding, established by the state. If a Michigan school district does not levy the full 18 mills, it would not receive its full foundation allowance.

If the operating millage proposal is not approved, per-pupil revenue for Kingsley Area Schools would see a loss of in District funding equivalent to $1,927,681 for fiscal year 2027-2028.

What happens if the millage is not approved by voters?

If the operating millage proposal is not approved for 2027, per-pupil revenue for Kingsley Area Schools would see a loss in District funding equivalent to $1,927,681 in fiscal year 2027-2028.

When was the last time the non-homestead millage was approved for KAS?

May 3, 2022.

When is Election Day?

August 4, 2026.

How can I register to vote?

To learn more about voter registration, such as eligibility requirements, how to register to vote in Michigan, and updating or canceling voter registration, go to: https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/register-to-vote.

Who can vote absentee?

All registered voters in Michigan have the right to vote by mail using an absentee ballot delivered to their home. Voters can also request an absentee ballot directly from their local clerk’s office. Absentee ballots are available beginning 40 days prior to every election.

Michigan voters can decide to be placed on a permanent absentee ballot list. The local clerk will then mail them an absentee ballot for all local, state, and federal elections.For more information about absentee voting, visit the website below:

https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/absentee-voting.

How does the State of Michigan allocate funds to schools?

Public schools in Michigan are primarily funded on a per-pupil basis using the pupil blend count, also known as the State Aid Membership. Each district counts the number of students twice during a school year, once in October and once in February. The state decides the amount of foundation allowance for each school district and multiplies that number by the number of countable students in the district.

The foundation allowance has two components: state aid and local non-homestead property taxes. The state calculates its portion of the foundation allowance as if the district is collecting 18 mills, whether true or not. If the voters do not approve the 18 mills levy, the state does not make up the difference and the district does not receive the full foundation allowance.

Official Ballot Language:

This proposal will replace expiring millage and allow the school district to continue 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,

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Kingsley Area Schools, Grand Traverse, and Wexford Counties, Michigan, be increased by 18.7732 mills ($18.7732 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 5 years, 2027 to 2031, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2027 is approximately $1,927,681 (this millage replaces millage that will expire with the 2026 tax levy)?

Have more questions? Reach out to Superintendent Joshua T. Rothwell at jrothwell@kingsleyschools.org