Royal Oak

Royal Oak residents pass city, school district millages

By Chris Jackett
C & G Staff Writer

The request for financial assistance was there at both the city and school district levels, and residents responded in support.

Both the city’s Proposal A and Royal Oak Neighborhood Schools’ sinking fund successfully passed Nov. 6, setting up a pair of millage increases that are expected to help move Royal Oak in the right direction.

The city’s request for a five-year, 3.975-mill increase to property taxes in order to help fund public safety — via police, fire, code enforcement and an assistant city attorney — received support from 67.13 percent (21,646) of 32,247 Royal Oak voters.

The millage will be levied for 3.475 mills for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 fiscal years, then the full 3.975 mills through June 30, 2017, generating $7.95 million in the peak years.

The school district earned similar support for its 10-year, 1-mill sinking fund proposal to benefit infrastructure improvements.

About 57.45 percent (18,156) of 31,604 votes passed the sinking fund, which will help improve the district’s buildings, some which have outdated or crumbling features in need of repair.

However, due to the debt millage decreasing by 0.61 mills, residents will only feel the impact of a 0.39-mill increase upon the sinking fund millage being enacted in 2013-14, putting the total school tax amount at 8.12 mills for the first two years.

The debt millage will then decline each year from 2015-16 until it disappears in 2021-22 during the ninth year of the 10-year sinking fund, with the total millage at 4.02 mills. By 2017-18, the overall millage amount will be 7.64 mills, which is 0.09 lower than the current 2012-2013 total millage of 7.73 mills.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Chris Jackett at cjackett@candgnews.com or at (586)279-1110.