What's on the ballot in City of Traverse City, Leelanau County

Shall the Bay Area Transportation Authority for Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties, Michigan, be authorized to levy annually an amount not to exceed .4589 mills ($0.46 per $1,000 of taxable value), a renewal of the .4788 mills reduced to .4589 mills under the Headlee Amendment, on taxable property within its jurisdiction for seven (7) years, 2028 through 2034, inclusive, to fund public transportation capital and operating expenses and provide transportation services for seniors and persons with disabilities? The estimated first year revenue is approximately $6,041,755. By law, a portion of millage will be distributed to other governmental tax-capturing entities, including the Traverse City, Village of Kingsley, Village of Fife Lake and Interlochen Downtown Development Authorities and the Grand Traverse and Leelanau County Brownfield Redevelopment Authorities.

The City Charter of the City of Traverse City provides that the City or City Commission shall not adopt or approve any proposal to create a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) plan, or to modify, amend or extend an existing TIF plan until such proposal is approved by a majority of city electors at a regular or special election held for that purpose. The City of Traverse City has received a recommendation to amend and extend a TIF plan from Traverse City Downtown Development Authority, which TIF plan is on the City Clerk’s web page and on file at the City Clerk’s Office and available for public inspection. The proposed amended and extended TIF district will remain the same and is generally described as being bound by the following streets and landmarks: Lake Michigan Shoreline, East Front Street, Railroad Avenue, Boardman Avenue, Washington, Cass, the Boardman/Ottaway River, and Gillis Street, with a projected total capture of $ 139,959,327, which is an estimate only, to be used for the purposes allowed under Michigan’s Tax Increment Financing Act. Shall the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority Infrastructure First Development and Tax Increment Financing Plan, submitted by Traverse City Downtown Development Authority, be amended and extended to be in effect for a term of twenty (20) years beginning January 1, 2028, and ending December 31, 2047?