What's on the ballot in City of Dearborn, Wayne County

In 2008 and 2016, pursuant to Public Act 49 of 2008, Wayne County voters renewed a 10-year property tax millage to fund zoological services through the Wayne 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 0.0982 mill and restore the remaining 0.0018 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 $6,145,462 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 Wayne 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 on taxable property located within Wayne County, this new millage would generate approximately $12,219,200 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 Wayne County, after Authority administrative expenses, will be disbursed to the County of Wayne for the purposes of supporting Historical Museums in Wayne County. Shall a 0.2 mill tax on all taxable property located within Wayne 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?

Shall the Dearborn Public Schools, County of Wayne, State of Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed One Billion Five Hundred Ten Million Dollars ($1,510,000,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds, in multiple series, to pay the cost of the following projects in order to implement the School District’s 2026 Facilities Master Plan which includes the construction of new preK-8 school buildings, major renovations at all school buildings including the three high schools, expanding space for career education programs, safety and security measures, improving infrastructure for STEAM programs, and traffic improvements: Erecting and completing new school buildings and other facilities; Remodeling, constructing additions to, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing, re-furnishing school buildings, athletic fields, playgrounds and other facilities; Acquiring and installing instructional technology infrastructure and equipment in school buildings and other facilities; and Preparing, developing and improving sites at school buildings, athletic fields, playgrounds and other facilities and the purchase of school buses? The maximum number of years any series of bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than thirty (30) years; the estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 3.14 mills (which is equal to $3.14 per $1,000 of taxable value); and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire each series of bonds is 5.67 mills annually ($5.67 per $1,000 of taxable value). (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.)