Board votes to let voters decide on Oakland County Regional Enhancement Millage

The Royal Oak Schools Board of Education voted to approve the district resolution that allows the Oakland County Regional Enhancement Millage to proceed through the county-level certification process so voters can decide whether to place it on the ballot.

Superintendent Dr. Tufelski summarized the enhancement millage framework for the board: local boards must vote (deadline cited as March 31) to certify that districts representing more than half the county’s students support placing the measure before voters; the proposed county election date is Aug. 4, 2026. The millage described would levy an additional 1.5 mills over six years and was described by staff as generating roughly $728 per pupil annually for Royal Oak Schools (about $3.7 million for the district) with an illustrative homeowner cost of approximately $150 per year on $100,000 of taxable value. Dr. Tufelski said enhancement millage revenues typically offer more local spending flexibility than bonds or sinking funds and listed potential uses including safety and security, technology, special education resources, transportation, student supports, academic programs and extracurriculars.

Board members asked clarifying questions about taxable value calculations, deadlines, and which neighboring districts had already voted; staff said several large districts had approved the measure and that boards must vote by March 31 or be treated as a no vote for the certification step. Treasurer Cook moved to approve the district resolution as presented; Vice President Alexander seconded and the board adopted the motion by voice vote. The board emphasized that the vote authorized staff to proceed with the county process and did not itself authorize spending the millage monies (that would be decided later by voters and by local boards if the county measure passes).