Copyright M Live Michigan
JACKSON COUNTY, MI — Residents in Jackson County will cast their votes for the Tuesday, Nov. 4 election. Several tax proposals are on the ballot, including from Jackson Public Schools to improve school infrastructure, road maintenance in Summit Township and Vandercook Lake schools for several major capital improvements. City of Jackson voters living in Wards 1, 3 and 5 will also select who they’d like to represent them on City Council. Here’s a guide to contested races and ballot proposals for Jackson County. Ward 1 Jackson City Council Long-time incumbent Arlene Robinson is seeking re-election for her City Council seat. She will face Dena K. Morgan, chief executive director of nonprofit Dungytreei Heritage Foundation. The race is non-partisan, meaning the candidates are not running under political party affiliations. Ward 1 covers the southside Jackson. Ward 3 Jackson City Council Candidates on the ballot include incumbent Angelita V. Gunn and a city council veteran, Jeromy Alexander. Ward 3 covers the northeast corner of the city. Alexander previously served Ward 3 on the City Council from 2017 to 2021 and was appointed to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners for one year. Voters elected Gunn, a Jackson native, to city council in 2021 and is finishing her four-year term. The race is nonpartisan, meaning the candidates are not running under political party affiliations. Ward 5 Jackson City Council Incumbent Christy May Davis is seeking re-election against former city councilmember Shalanda Hunt. Ward 5 is made up of the western half of downtown Jackson and several residential neighborhoods surrounding downtown. Voters selected Davis during a special election in 2024 to serve the remainder of the term, which ends Dec. 31. Hunt was appointed to city council following the resignation of former councilwoman Karen Bunnell in 2023; however, she was disqualified from running against Davis in 2024 due to a paperwork error. The race is nonpartisan, meaning the candidates are not running under political party affiliations. Jackson Public Schools $126 million Bond Proposal A $126 million bond proposal is on the ballot. Approving the bond, funded by the School Bond Qualification and Loan Program, will maintain property owners current school tax rate of 5.95 mills with no increase. The purpose of the bond is to construct, improve and maintain the school district’s infrastructure while preserving the school’s general fund for daily operations. If the bond is approved, the school district has a lengthy list of construction projects that will be paid for by the bond. Among the projects that would proceed if the bond got approved is a new state-of-the-art innovation center where students can focus on learning various in-demand trade skills. Summit Township Road Millage Voters are being asked to weigh in on levying a 0.5-mill tax for 10 years to fund maintaining Summit Township roads. The millage will only fund maintenance on local roads in township. Main roads through the township, such as Kibby or Horton Roads, are owned and maintained by Jackson County. If approved, the millage is expected to raise about $446,893 per year. One mill is equal to $1 paid in property taxes per every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, roughly half of market value. As an example, a Jackson County resident who owns a $200,000 home would pay about $50 a year for the millage. Waterloo Township Millage Public Safety Renewal Proposal Waterloo Township’s public safety millage is up for renewal. Voters are being asked to weigh in on levying a 0.75-mill tax for five years to fund police and public safety services in the township. The millage renewal is at a reduced rate as the prior millage that was approved in 2020 was set at 1 mill. If approved, the millage at the new rate is expected to raise about $133,591 per year. One mill is equal to $1 paid in property taxes per every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, roughly half of market value. As an example, a Jackson County resident who owns a $200,000 home would pay about $75 a year for the millage. Hanover-Horton School District Sinking Fund Millage Renewal Proposal Voters are being asked to renew the Hanover-Horton School District sinking fund at its current tax rate of 0.9576 mill for eight years. The current millage is set to expire at the end of 2026. A sinking fund is used to pay for various capital projects without using the district’s general fund, which is used for school operations. Projects funded by the sinking fund include purchasing real estate and constructing or repairing school buildings, as well as improving school security and upgrading technology. One mill is equal to $1 paid in property taxes per every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, roughly half of market value. As an example, a Jackson County resident who owns a $200,000 home would pay about $95 a year for the millage. The millage will collect about $409,000 annually if renewed. Vandercook Lake Public Schools Bond Proposal Voters are being asked in the general election for permission to borrow up to $19,995,000 from the state to pay for several major capital improvements to the district’s infrastructure. Approving the bond, funded by the School Bond Qualification and Loan Program, would increase the current millage rate for residents in the Vandercook Lake Public School District area from 3 mills to 7 mills for 30 years, or until the loan is paid off. One mill is equal to $1 paid in property taxes per every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, roughly half of market value. As an example, a Jackson County resident who owns a $200,000 home would pay about $700 a year for the millage. The bond is being requested to fund multiple construction projects to both improve the infrastructure and bring it up to code and state law requirements. Stockbridge Community Schools Bond Proposal Voters will be asked in the general election for permission to borrow up to $15,100,000 from the state for 16 years to pay for several major capital improvements to the district’s infrastructure. Approving the bond would maintain the school district’s current millage rate of 3.3 mills with no increase or decrease in the tax rate. The bond would fund multiple construction projects including roof replacement, plumbing upgrades, repaving parking lots, renovations and more. The Stockbridge Community School district spans portions of Ingham, Jackson, Livingston and Washtenaw Counties. One mill is equal to $1 paid in property taxes per every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, roughly half of market value. As an example, the owner of a $200,000 home would continue to pay about $330 a year for the millage. $25M tax for Washtenaw Intermediate School District The Washtenaw Intermediate School District initiated a 1-mill tax request to fund career and technical education programming in local schools. School boards around the county signed off on the idea in May and June. The proposed tax would generate about $25 million in its first year for CTE programs. WISD officials point to the growth in enrollment and demand for CTE in Washtenaw County as a driving factor for the millage proposal. If approved, it would levy 1 mill annually over a decade, costing the owner of a home with a taxable value of $200,000 around $200 a year. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page.
