What's on the ballot in Orion Township, Oakland County

In 2008 and 2016, pursuant to Public Act 49 of 2008, Oakland County voters renewed a 10-year property tax millage to fund zoological services through the Oakland County Zoological Authority, supporting animal care for more than 2,000 animals and 200 species, educational and senior programs, and facility maintenance at the Detroit Zoo. To continue providing these services, the Authority seeks to renew and restore the millage to the original voter-approved rate of 0.10 mill (10 cents per $1,000 of taxable value). This proposal would renew the millage at 0.0927 mill and restore the remaining 0.0073 mill that was reduced due to required rollback, for a total authorized rate of 0.10 mill on taxable real and personal property for ten (10) years. If approved, the millage rate would be unchanged from those approved by voters in 2008 and 2016. Funds will be disbursed to the Authority and transferred to the Detroit Zoo as permitted by law. All funds are subject to annual independent audits. It is estimated that $8,831,012 will be collected in the first year. Ballot Question: Do you approve the renewal and restoration of the levy of 0.10 mill on all taxable property in Oakland County for a period of ten (10) years, from 2028 through 2037?

The Southeast Michigan Public Historical Museum Authority (“Authority”) is a joint authority established by Wayne and Oakland Counties (“Counties”) pursuant to Michigan Public Act 321 of the Public Acts of 2000, as amended, and was formed to support the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Historical Museum, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and other public historical museums located in Wayne and Oakland Counties (“Historical Museums”) that provide historical museum services for students, residents and visitors of the Counties. The law allows the Authority to seek authorization from the electors in each of the Counties to levy a tax of 0.2 mill (20 cents per $1,000 of taxable value) on taxable property to provide revenue for Historical Museums. It is estimated that if approved and levied, this new millage on all taxable property located within Oakland County would generate approximately $17,733,800 in 2026. In addition to supporting the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Historical Museum, and Dossin Great Lakes Museum, 15% of revenues received by the Authority from taxable property in Oakland County, after Authority administrative expenses, will be disbursed to the County of Oakland for the purposes of supporting Historical Museums in Oakland County. Shall a 0.2 mill tax on all taxable property located within Oakland County be imposed by the Authority for a period of ten (10) years, being years 2026 through 2035, inclusive, to provide historical museum services for the benefit of the residents of the Counties?

In 2020, Charter Township of Orion voters approved a police operating millage of 3.5000 mills ($3.50 per $1,000 of taxable value). After required millage rollbacks, the millage was reduced to 3.4113 mills ($3.4113 per $1,000 of taxable value) when it expired in December 2025. After applying the 2026 rollback, the millage has been reduced to 3.3761 mills ($3.3761 per $1,000 of taxable value). Shall the expired millage be replaced by this new millage to continue and renew at the 2026 rolled back rate of up to 3.3761 mills ($3.3761 per $1,000 of taxable value), to be levied for four (4) years, beginning December 2026 through December 2029, inclusive, on all taxable property within the Charter Township of Orion, excluding taxable property within the Village of Lake Orion, for the purpose of continuing to provide police protection and law enforcement services within the Township, including related operating, personnel and capital expenditures? If approved and levied in full, this millage is estimated to raise approximately $8,753,504.65 in the first year of the levy. As required by Michigan law, a small portion of the total millage revenue may be captured and disbursed to the following local units of government authorized to receive tax increment revenues: the Orion Township Corridor Improvement Authority and the Oakland County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. The amount disbursed to these authorities is required by law and is collected solely from properties located within the authorities' boundaries.

In 2020, Charter Township of Orion voters approved a fire and emergency medical services operating millage of 3.0000 mills ($3.00 per $1,000 of taxable value). After required millage rollbacks, the millage was reduced to 2.9164 mills ($2.9164 per $1,000 of taxable value) when it expired in December 2025. After applying the 2026 Headlee roll back, a renewed millage would be reduced to 2.8846 mills ($2.8846 per $1,000 of taxable value). Shall the expired millage be replaced by this new millage to continue and renew at the 2026 rolled back rate of up to 2.8846 mills ($2.8846 per $1,000 of taxable value) to be levied for four (4) years, beginning December 2026 through December 2029, inclusive, on all taxable property within the Charter Township of Orion, including the Village of Lake Orion, for the purpose of continuing to provide fire protection and emergency medical services, including Advanced Life Support, and related operations, wages, benefits, equipment, facilities, and other capital expenditures? If approved and levied in full, this millage is estimated to raise approximately $8,079,234.79 in the first year of the levy. As required by Michigan law, a small portion of the total millage revenue may be captured and disbursed to the following local units of government authorized to receive tax increment revenues: the Village of Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority, the Orion Township Corridor Improvement Authority, and the Oakland County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. The amount disbursed to these authorities is required by law and is collected solely from properties located within the authorities’ boundaries.

Shall the Charter Township of Orion be authorized to levy a new additional millage of up to .4000 mills ($0.40 per $1,000 of taxable value) on all taxable property within the Charter Township of Orion, including taxable property within the Village of Lake Orion, to be levied for four (4) years, beginning December 2026 and expiring in December 2029, inclusive, for the purpose of increasing fire department and emergency medical service (EMS) staffing, including wages and benefits, improving emergency response capability, and funding capital needs, including fire apparatus, equipment and station improvements? If approved and levied in full, this millage is estimated to raise approximately $1,119,907.94 in the first year of the levy. As required by Michigan law, a small portion of the total millage revenue may be captured and disbursed to the following local units of government authorized to receive tax increment revenues: the Village of Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority, the Orion Township Corridor Improvement Authority, and the Oakland County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. The amount disbursed to these authorities is required by law and is collected solely from properties located within the authorities’ boundaries.

Shall the Charter Township of Orion, County of Oakland, Michigan, borrow the principal sum of not to exceed Thirteen Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($13,300,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds, payable in not to exceed twenty (20) years from the date of issuance, to pay the cost of constructing, furnishing and equipping additions, renovations, and improvements to the Orion Township Public Library facility to support children’s programming and resources, community gathering and learning spaces, technology upgrades and infrastructure, accessibility improvements, and other library facility enhancements and related site improvements? The estimated millage to be levied in 2027 is 0.3116 mill ($0.31 per $1,000 of taxable value) and the estimated simple average annual millage rate required to retire the bonds is 0.3117 mill ($0.31 per $1,000 of taxable value).

County of Oakland State of Michigan Shall the Lake Orion Community Schools, County of Oakland, State of Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed One Hundred Fifteen Million Nine Hundred Eighty-Five Thousand Dollars ($115,985,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds, in one or more series, to pay the cost of the following projects for the purpose of creating a modern, safe and healthy learning environment for students: - Equipping school buildings for safety and security, including security doors, backup generators and access controls; - Remodeling, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing, re-furnishing school buildings and other facilities, including improving infrastructure, roofs and heating, plumbing, and electrical systems; - Erecting and completing additions to school buildings and other facilities which include additions for special education programs and an addition at the High School for robotics, career tech and trades education; - Acquiring and installing instructional technology infrastructure and equipment in school buildings and other facilities; and - Preparing, developing and improving sites at school buildings and other facilities and the purchase of school buses? The annual debt millage required to retire all bonds of the School District currently outstanding and proposed pursuant to this ballot is expected to be at or below 7.00 mills which is a 0 mill increase from the annual debt millage levied in 2026. The maximum number of years any series of bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than twenty (20) years; the estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 1.74 mills (which is equal to $1.74 per $1,000 of taxable value); and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire each series of bonds is 2.06 mills annually ($2.06 per $1,000 of taxable value). If approved by the voters, the bonds will be guaranteed by the State under the School Bond Qualification and Loan Program (the “Program”). The School District currently has $129,685,000 of qualified bonds outstanding and $0 of qualified loans outstanding under the Program. The School District does not expect to borrow from the Program to pay debt service on these bonds. The estimated computed millage rate required to be levied to pay the proposed bonds may change in the future based on changes in certain circumstances. (Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, repair or maintenance costs or other operating expenses.)