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Board certifies millage replacement plan for August 2026 primary; members debate timing and risks
Summary
After a detailed presentation on Proposition A and Headlee rollbacks, the board voted 4–1 to certify a millage-replacement plan for the August 2026 state primary, selecting a timeline that defers a potentially costly special-election option and seeks a state-election date to avoid election costs.
The L'Anse Creuse Public Schools board on July 21 voted to certify a proposal to replace the district’s non-homestead operating millage, directing staff to submit the proposal for the August 2026 state primary election.
Attorney Jim Crowley of Miller Canfield and district staff presented background on Michigan’s Proposal A funding structure and the Headlee Amendment (referred to as "Headley" in the meeting), explaining that the district’s current effective levy is below the 18-mill constitutional assumption and that that reduction is costing the district roughly $700,000 for the 2025 tax year and an estimated $1.4 million over two years if not addressed. Crowley outlined two options: (1) replace the millage at a November 2025 special/odd-year election with a higher cushion (he discussed a 4-mill cushion, asking voters to authorize 22 mills for up to 20 years) and absorb election costs estimated at about $100,000, or (2) wait for a state-election date in 2026 (August primary or November general) that county elections would administer at no direct cost to the district and still achieve renewal for future years but capture revenue later.
District staff and the superintendent explained that a successful November 2025 vote would allow the district to place the levy on the December 1 tax roll, capturing additional revenue for the 2025–26 budget year, whereas waiting until a state election could defer revenue until the next fiscal year. Board members debated the trade-offs: potential immediate revenue vs. the financial risk of paying for a special election if a question failed, and the district’s thin fund balance following recent budget decisions. Several board members said they preferred the state-election option to avoid the election cost and to gain more time for public outreach; one board member argued for pursuing an earlier special election to capture revenue sooner.
A motion to certify the proposal for the August 2026 state primary (as amended on the floor to select that date) carried on a 4–1 vote, with Board Member Mister Doss recorded as voting no. The board president and superintendent noted the board would need to approve final ballot language and related financial numbers at a later meeting before formal certification to the Macomb County clerk for the chosen election date.
Ending: The board authorized staff to begin the certification process for an August 2026 state primary millage replacement proposal and directed administration to prepare final ballot language and financials for a future vote and county submission.
