Copyright M Live Michigan
KENT COUNTY, MI – Voters passed a millage renewal that will provide funding to Kent County schools for special education, college-readiness programs, jobs training and more. The ballot measure approved in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 election asked voters to renew and increase a millage request from the Kent Intermediate School District that was set to expire in 2026. Kent County voters approved the millage by a vote of 54,078 to 31,044, according to unofficial election results from the Kent County Clerk’s Office. The millage also received 622 yes votes and 889 no votes in Ottawa County, and 43 yes votes and 91 no votes in Muskegon County. The 10-year regional enhancement millage will levy 0.9 mills, or $0.90 on each $1,000 of taxable value, generating approximately $35.6 million in 2027. That breaks down to around $357 per student, according to the Kent ISD. The owner of a $300,000 home will pay $135 a year in taxes toward the millage. The Nov. 4 ballot proposal sought to increase the current millage by an additional 0.0502 mill, to restore the original 0.9 mills that was first approved by voters in 2017. The millage rate has been reduced from its original amount to 0.8498 mills due to Headlee Amendment rollbacks, which happen when annual growth on existing property is greater than the rate of inflation. The ISD will collect the funds levied by the 0.9-mill tax and distribute the money to all public and charter schools within the taxable boundaries of Kent ISD, which together serve nearly 100,000 students. The funding would be distributed to each school based on the student population size. Election results remain unofficial until they are certified by the county board of canvassers.
