Public notice: Freedom Township

Freedom Township Hall

NOTICE OF ELECTION

To the qualified electors of:
FREEDOM TOWNSHIP

Notice is hereby given that a general election will be held on

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2024
Polls are open:
7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.

At the following location:

Freedom Township Hall,

11508 E Pleasant Lake Rd, Manchester, MI 48158

For the purposes of electing the following candidates to the following:

Presidential: President and Vice President of the United States

Congressional: United States Senator, Congress 6^th district

Legislative: State Legislature 47^th district and 33^rd district

State Board Offices: State Board of Education, Regent of the University of Michigan, Trustee of Michigan State University, Governor of Wayne State University

Washtenaw County Offices: Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff, Clerk & Register of Deeds, Treasurer, Water Resources Commissioner, County Commissioner 3^rd district

Township Offices: Supervisor, Clerk, Treasurer, Trustees

Judicial Offices: Justice of Supreme Court, Justice of Supreme Court (partial term ending 1/1/29), Judge of Court of Appeals 3^rd district Incumbent Position, Judge of Circuit Court 22^nd Circuit Incumbent Position and Non-Incumbent, Judge of Probate Court Incumbent, and Judge of District Court 14A district Incumbent Position

Community College Offices: Board of Trustees Member- Washtenaw Community College

Local School District Offices: Board Members- Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester and Saline School Districts

ALSO to vote YES or NO on the following proposals:

Washtenaw County Proposal A

Renewal and Restoration of the Enhanced Emergency

Communications System Millage

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed each year for all purposes taxable property in Washtenaw County, Michigan be increased by 0.200 mill ($0.20 per thousand dollars of taxable value) for a period of ten (10) years, 2026 to 2035, inclusive, as a renewal of the 0.0960 mills previously authorized by the electors which expires with the 2025 tax levy as reduced by the operation of the Headlee amendment, plus new additional millage as a restoration of 0.009 mills, for the sole purpose of providing funds to the County for the acquisition, renovation, maintenance, upgrade and operation of the County’s Enhanced Emergency Communications System, including the potential construction of additional towers, upgrading the existing infrastructure, purchasing equipment, and paying for maintenance and user fees? If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $4,493,654 when first levied in 2026.

Washtenaw County Proposal B

Renewal and Restoration of the Veteran’s Relief Millage

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable property in the County of Washtenaw, Michigan, be increased by 0.100 mill ($0.10 per thousand dollars of taxable value) of the taxable value for a period of eight (8) years, 2024 to 2031, inclusive, as a renewal of that portion of the 0.100 mill authorization previously authorized by the electors in 2016 as reduced by the operation of the Headlee amendment, which was 0.0960 mill in 2023, plus new additional millage representing a restoration of the amount equal to the amount reduced by operation of the Headlee amendment, which was 0.004 mill in 2023, to provide funds to Washtenaw County for the purpose of funding the Washtenaw County Department of Veterans Affairs’ provision of financial relief and services for Washtenaw County veterans, including the payment of eligible indigent veteran claims, and to fund the administration of the department? If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $2,197,389 when first levied in 2024.

Washtenaw County Proposal C

Establishing an Older Persons Services Millage

Shall the limitation on the total amount of taxes which may be levied against taxable property within Washtenaw County, Michigan, be increased by up to 0.5000 mill ($0.50 per thousand dollars of taxable value) for a period of eight (8) years, 2024 to 2031, inclusive, as a new additional millage for the purpose of providing funding for activities and services for older persons (age 60 or older) in Washtenaw County? If approved and levied in full this millage will raise an estimated $11,584,031 in the first year.

Washtenaw County Proposal D

Renewal and Restoration of the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health and Public Safety Preservation Millage

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable property in the County of Washtenaw, Michigan, be increased by 1.000 mill ($1.00 per thousand dollars of taxable value) of the taxable value for a period of eight (8) years, 2026 to 2033, inclusive, as a renewal of that portion of the 1.000 mill authorization previously authorized by the electors in 2017 as reduced by the operation of the Headlee amendment, which was 0.9693 mill in 2023, plus new additional millage representing a restoration of the amount equal to the amount reduced by operation of the Headlee amendment, which was 0.0307 mill in 2023, to provide funds to the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health Department, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, local governments which have their own police force for the purposes of improving the treatment of people with mental health needs; providing increased financial support for mental health crisis, stabilization and prevention; and for continued law enforcement services to be distributed as follows: 38% shall be allocated to Washtenaw County’s Community Mental Health Department; 38% shall be allocated to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office; and 24% shall be allocated to jurisdictions in the County which maintain their own police force (currently Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Milan, Saline, Ypsilanti, Pittsfield Township and Northfield Township) in proportion to their respective 2023 population values. If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $22,409,411 when first levied in 2026.

Freedom Township

Road Maintenance Millage Renewal

Shall Freedom Township be allowed to impose a millage increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution by levy of .2497 mills for road maintenance and improvements ($0.25 per $1,000 of taxable value) for a period of 4 years, 2024 through 2027 inclusive, which millage will raise an estimated $$62,285.20 in the first year of levy. This is a new millage proposal intended to supersede, rescind and replace the previously authorized millage for road maintenance in the Township that is due to expired on December 31, 2024.

Washtenaw Intermediate School District – 1 Proposal
Special Education Millage Renewal Proposal

This proposal will permit the intermediate school district to continue to levy special education millage previously approved by the electors. Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation of 2.3826 mills ($2.3826 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Washtenaw Intermediate School District, Michigan, to provide funds for the education of students with a disability, be renewed for a period of 12 years, 2026 to 2037, inclusive; the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2026 is approximately $56,900,000 from local property taxes authorized herein (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2025 tax levy)?

Precincts and Polling Locations:

FREEDOM TOWNSHIP
TOWN HALL: 11508 E Pleasant Lake Rd, Manchester, MI 48158

Full text of the ballot may be obtained at the Freedom Township Office located at 11508 Pleasant Lake Road, Manchester, MI 48158.  Sample ballots can also be found at www.mi.gov/vote.

Absentee ballots are available for all elections; registered voters may contact the local clerk to obtain an application for an absent voter ballot or apply online at Michigan Online Absent Voter Ballot Application (state.mi.us)

To comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), voting instructions will be available in audio format and in Braille. Arrangements for obtaining the instructions in these alternative formats can be made by contacting the township clerk in advance of the election. All polling locations are accessible for voters with disabilities.

Published in compliance with MCL 168.498

Valisa Bristle
Freedom Township Clerk
(734) 428-7545, ext.2

Publish October 9, 2024

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.