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Oakland County enhancement millage would raise roughly $8.6M net for Walled Lake schools, superintendent says
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Lanz told the board the proposed countywide 1.5‑mill enhancement (six years) would generate about $10.78M from Walled Lake taxpayers and the district would retain approximately $8.64M annually; the vote is countywide and collections would begin Dec. 2026 if approved.
Superintendent Dr. Lanz briefed the board on the Oakland County enhancement millage slated for the Aug. 4 ballot, describing how the countywide property‑tax measure would work and what it would mean for Walled Lake Consolidated Schools.
Dr. Lanz said the proposal is a 1.5‑mill levy every year for six years and estimated it would yield about $781 per student annually on average. "Walled Lake would pay into the county $10,780,000 approximately, and of that, we would be able to retain $8,640,000," he told trustees. Funds would be distributed equally to eligible public schools and public school academies across Oakland County, with the difference redistributed to support districts that have lower taxable value.
He explained permitted uses: because enhancement millage proceeds go to the general fund (unlike bond or sinking fund dollars), districts could use them for staff retention and raises, stabilizing the general fund, student wellness supports, safety initiatives and maintaining programing. Dr. Lanz noted the millage would not fully close state funding gaps but would help address a structural deficit the district has experienced, and that any changes to contracts would be handled through negotiated reopeners.
Trustees asked practical questions about taxpayer impact and vote mechanics. Dr. Lanz explained the county must reach 50% plus one vote overall for the millage to pass — Walled Lake’s local vote percentage does not override the county total. He also clarified taxable value differs from market value and used examples to estimate approximate homeowner costs ($150/year for a $200,000 home taxed on an assessed value of $100,000).
Board members raised donor‑district concerns and equity tradeoffs. Trustee Siegler and others noted Walled Lake will be a net donor district (sending more in taxes than it receives back) but that the district would still gain meaningful additional revenue for local priorities. Dr. Lanz said 80% of Oakland County districts approved placing the option on the ballot and cited Wayne and Macomb as comparators for per‑pupil parity concerns.
What’s next: informational meetings scheduled by county and the district were announced; the board will continue public outreach. The millage is countywide — outcome depends on the total county vote on Aug. 4.
Provenance: millage presentation and trustee Q&A (transcript segments SEG 612–SEG 925).
