Anchor Bay holds public hearing on 2025-26 budget, signals intent to levy full 18 mills

Anchor Bay School District held a public hearing on the proposed 2025-26 budget and tax millage on Feb. 25, 2025, where staff presented the district’s plan to levy the full 18 operating mills and a 10-mill debt levy and reviewed revenue and expense changes that produce a small projected surplus.

Todd Rathbun, staff member, told the board the district is proposing total revenues of about $80 million and expenses just under $80 million, producing an estimated net revenue over expenditures of about $320,000 for 2025-26. Rathbun said taxable values used for the operating levy increased from roughly $335 million to about $356 million — a rise of about $21 million, or 6.36% — and all-property values (used for debt) rose about $86 million, or 4.89%.

The presentation explained the Headlee rollback effect for Michigan millage limits and a Truth in Taxation notice for increases in total taxable value. Rathbun said the district requested 19.4687 mills in November 2023 for a 10-year operating authorization beginning in 2025; this year’s Headlee millage reduction fraction was 0.9903, and state law limits the district to levy no…