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Lapeer County committee approves ballot language to renew, increase senior services millage
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Summary
The Committee of the Whole voted 4–2 on April 2 to place a proposed renewal and increase of the Lapeer County senior services millage on the August 4, 2026 primary ballot; the measure would raise the levy to 0.4578 mills for 2027–2030 and is estimated to raise about $1.99 million in its first year.
The Lapeer County Committee of the Whole voted April 2 to adopt ballot language renewing and increasing the county's senior services millage, a proposed four-year levy the board will place on the Aug. 4, 2026 primary ballot. C. Ian Kempf moved the measure, which was supported by Greg Wise; the roll-call on the final motion was 4 ayes, 2 nays, 1 absent.
The proposed renewal would increase the previously-voted millage to 0.4578 mills (from an estimated rollback level of 0.3840 mills at expiration) for a four-year period covering tax years 2027 through 2030. The county's estimate for the first year of collection is $1,985,874. The ballot language included a numerical example: a property with $100,000 in taxable value would be taxed up to $45.78 annually under the millage, an estimated $7.38 increase per year compared with the rollback figure identified in the motion.
An amendment by Commissioner Kevin Knisely, supported by Commissioner Scott McMahan, to move the question to the Nov. 3, 2026 general election failed on a 2-4-1 vote (2 ayes, 4 nays, 1 absent). The original motion to place the language on the Aug. 4 primary then passed on a 4-2 roll call (Kempf, Wise, Zender, Haggadone aye; Knisely, McMahan nay; Chairman Gary Howell absent). The motion also directed that the ballot language be submitted to the County Clerk immediately following approval and prior to the May 12, 2026 deadline noted in the motion.
If approved by voters, the language directs that revenue be used to support continued funding of Lapeer County senior services including, but not limited to, home-delivered meals, congregate meal sites, personal care, respite care and senior center activities and operations. The motion notes that, by operation of Michigan law, part of the millage proceeds would be disbursed to certain local units of government, including the City of Lapeer Downtown Development Authority.
The committee record does not include verbatim public-comment remarks on the millage; public commenters addressed the board during two public-comment periods (the minutes state three speakers early in the meeting and seven later). The next formal step is submission of the approved ballot language to the County Clerk for placement on the Aug. 4, 2026 ballot, subject to statutory filing deadlines.