Ballot Preview for November Elections

There will be a general election Tuesday, November 04, 2014. Sharon, Freedom, Manchester, and Bridgewater Townships will all vote on the national and state candidates and issues that face everyone. But in addition to those broader concerns, there will be a few races that affect our community more immediately. Here is a basic rundown of the local elections we'll be watching this year. (For your full ballot, check out the state website.)

Elections that Will Be On All Four Township Ballots

STATE SENATOR 22nd DISTRICT

Vote for not more than 1

Joe Hune Republican

Shari Pollesch Democratic

Jeff Wood Libertarian

REPRESENTATIVE IN STATE LEGISLATURE 52nd DISTRICT

Vote for not more than 1

John Clifford Hochstetler Republican

Gretchen Driskell Democratic

BOARD MEMBER MANCHESTER COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Vote for not more than 3

Michael Austin

Rebecca Harvey

Dara Psarouthakis

COUNTY PROPOSAL

Proposition To Renew The Increase In The Tax Limitation For Parks And Recreation

PROPOSITION TO RENEW THE INCREASE IN THE TAX LIMITATION FOR PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF PLANNING, ACQUIRING, DEVELOPING, OPERATING AND MAINTAINING PARKS AND RECREATION PLACES AND FACILITIES IN WASHTENAW COUNTY FOR THE BENEFIT OF WASHTENAW COUNTY CITIZENS

To renew the millage expiring after December 1, 2016, shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed each year for all purposes on real and tangible personal property in Washtenaw County, Michigan be increased as provided in Section 6, Article IX, of the Constitution of the State of Michigan and the Board of Commissioners of the County be authorized to levy a tax not to exceed one quarter of one mill ($0.25 per $1,000) which has been presently reduced by the Headlee Amendment to the State Constitution to $0.2353 of state equalized valuation of such property for a period of ten years, beginning with the levy to be made on December 1, 2017 (which will generate estimated revenues of $3.4 million dollars in the first year of such renewal millage), for the purpose of acquiring, developing and maintaining parklands and operating recreation facilities for the benefit of Washtenaw County citizens?

LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPOSAL

Operating Millage Renewal Proposal

This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance and renews millage that will expire with the 2014 tax levy.

Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation  of 18 mills ($18.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Clinton Community Schools, Lenawee and Washtenaw Counties, Michigan, be renewed for the year 2015, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2015 is approximately $940,922.23 (this is a renewal of millage which will expire with the 2014 tax levy)?

DISTRICT LIBRARY PROPOSAL

(This will be on Manchester, Bridgewater and Freedom Township's ballots, but not Sharon Township's ballot.)

Manchester District Library Library Millage Renewal Proposal

Shall the Manchester District Library, County of Washtenaw, Michigan, be authorized to renew and levy the previously voted increase in the tax limitation that will expire in 2014 in an amount not to exceed 1.05 mills ($1.05 on each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable real and tangible personal property within the Manchester District Library district for a period of ten (10) years, 2015 to 2024, inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for all district library purposes authorized by law?  The estimate of the revenue the Manchester District Library will collect if the millage is approved and levied by the Library in the 2015 calendar year is approximately $367,000.  A portion of the revenue collected may be subject to capture by the Village of Manchester Downtown Development Authority and a portion of the revenue collected may also be disbursed to the Clinton Township Public Library pursuant to a library services contract.

Manchester Village Only

TRUSTEE Village of MANCHESTER

Vote for not more than 3

Marsha Johnson Chartrand

Cynthia Dresch

Amelia Woods

Manchester Township Only

Extra Voted Fire Equipment Millage Renewal

Shall the previous voted increases expiring in 2014 in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution on general ad valorem taxes within Manchester Township, of 0.15 mills ($0.15 per $1,000 of Taxable value), reduced to 0.15 mills ($0.15 per $1,000 of Taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at and increased up to the original voted 0.15 mills ($0.15 per $1,000 of Taxable value) and levied for 5 years, for the period of 2015 through 2019 inclusive, for Purchase of Fire/Rescue Equipment for Manchester Township, raising in the first year the millage is levied an estimated $26,563.

Extra Voted Road Maintenance Millage Renewal

Shall the previous voted increases expiring in 2014 in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution on general ad valorem taxes within Manchester Township, of 0.35 mills ($0.35 per $1,000 of Taxable value), reduced to 0.35 mills ($0.35 per $1,000 of Taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at and increased up to the original voted 0.35 mills ($0.35 per $1,000 of Taxable value) and levied for 5 years, for the period of 2015 through 2019 inclusive, for Maintenance of Roads within Manchester Township, raising in the first year the millage is levied an estimated $61,981.

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by Fritz Swanson

Fritz Swanson has written for The Believer, the Christian Science Monitor, Print Magazine, McSweeney's, Esopus, LSA Magazine, and The Mid-American Review. He serves as a trustee on the Manchester District Library Board. He's the designer and publisher of The Manchester Mirror.

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