May 6, 2008 Millage Renewal Facts
Parchment School District
On Tuesday, May 6, 2008, voters in the Parchment
School District and all other districts in Kalamazoo County will be
asked to vote on the renewal of a 3-year, 1.5 mill property tax to help
continue to fund operations of our schools.
Q: Is this a new millage or a millage increase?
A: This is a renewal.
Taxpayers will be paying the same millage rate as they have paid for the
past three years.
Q: What would be the impact to Parchment School
District if this millage question is defeated?
A: Parchment receives
approximately $570,000 annually from this millage while taxpayers pay in
approximately $334,000. The district receives approximately $1.81 for
every $1.00 paid in by taxpayers. If this revenue source is eliminated,
budget cuts would be inevitable.
Q: How much would this renewal request cost the
taxpayer?
A: Since it is a renewal, it
would not cause an increase in rates. A defeat of this proposal would
result in a decrease in taxes of $90 annually, or 25 cents per day, for
the typical homeowner with a house with a taxable market value of
$120,000.
Q: This is a millage assessed across all Kalamazoo
County school districts in the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service
Agency (KRESA). Does KRESA keep the money?
A: No. The tax revenues are
distributed by KRESA to school districts in the county, including
Parchment, on a per student basis. Each school district receives the
same per student amount.
Q: How has the school funding situation changed since
2005?
A: Local school districts
are heavily reliant upon the State of Michigan for funding. In many
respects, the state ’s financial position is worse today than it was in
2005. At the same time, inflation is increasing school costs.
Q: Who can vote in this election?
A: Any registered voter that
resides in a school district within the KRESA service area can vote in
this election. This includes all districts in the county: Climax-Scotts,
Comstock, Galesburg-Augusta, Gull Lake, Kalamazoo, Parchment, Portage,
Schoolcraft and Vicksburg.
Q: When is the last day to register to vote?
A: The last day to register
to vote in this election is April 7, 2008.
Q: How can I find out where I vote?
A: You will vote at the same
precinct where you voted in the last November election, unless you have
received a notice from your municipal clerk about precinct
consolidation. If you have questions, contact your local municipal clerk
with questions regarding your voting precinct:
Kalamazoo Twp. – 381-8080
Cooper Twp. - 382-0223
City of Parchment - 349-3785
City of Kalamazoo - 337-8792
Q: Can I vote by absentee ballot?
A: A person can vote
absentee if he or she:
Parchment
School District
