As the November 3 election approaches, Hemlock Public School District is continuing its effort to provide residents with clear, factual information about Michigan school funding and the two district proposals appearing on the ballot.
While both proposals involve school funding, they serve very different purposes.
One supports the day-to-day operation of Hemlock Public School District. The other supports long-term investment in school facilities, safety, infrastructure, and future needs. Both are structured to maintain the district's current school tax rates.
Non-Homestead Operating Millage Renewal
The first proposal is a four-year renewal of the district's non-homestead operating millage. Under Michigan's Proposal A school funding system, local operating property tax revenue is an important part of the funding structure for public schools. Qualifying owner-occupied principal residences are exempt from this local school operating millage.
For Hemlock Public School District, this proposal is a renewal, not a new tax. The millage generates nearly $3 million annually and is already part of the district's operating budget. These dollars help support classroom instruction, teachers and support staff, student services, transportation, technology, utilities, maintenance, extracurricular opportunities, and other everyday expenses associated with educating students.
Bond Proposal
The second proposal would authorize Hemlock Public School District to borrow an amount not to exceed $17.75 million for long-term capital improvements across the district.
The proposed bond would focus on needs such as additional classroom space at Hemlock Elementary and K.C. Ling Elementary, safety and security improvements, campus connectivity, sidewalks, parking and traffic flow, building improvements, instructional technology, transportation, equipment, and other eligible capital projects.
The estimated millage for the proposed bonds in 2027 is 1.10 mills, representing a 0.00-mill net increase over the district's current levy.
Unlike operating revenue, bond proceeds are restricted by law and cannot be used for employee salaries, benefits, or regular day-to-day operating expenses.
"School finance can become complicated very quickly because different dollars have different purposes and different rules," Superintendent Don Killingbeck said. "The operating millage helps us educate students and operate the district each day. Bond dollars allow us to make long-term investments in the places, infrastructure, and tools where that education happens. Understanding that difference is an important part of understanding both proposals."
Supporting Today While Planning for Tomorrow
Together, the two proposals address two different responsibilities of Hemlock Public School District.
The operating millage renewal would continue an existing source of revenue that supports students and schools today. The bond proposal would provide resources for long-term capital needs as the district plans for enrollment growth, changing educational needs, safety, infrastructure, and the future of its facilities.
"Good stewardship requires us to do both," Killingbeck said. "We have to responsibly support the students sitting in our classrooms today while also planning for the students who will walk through our doors five, ten, and twenty years from now. Our responsibility is to provide the community with the numbers, the context behind those numbers, and clear information about what each proposal would and would not do."
Hemlock Public School District will continue sharing information about both proposals in the weeks leading up to the November 3 election, including details about school funding, proposed projects, tax rates, enrollment and space needs, and the legal differences between operating and bond funds.
Community members are encouraged to review the information, ask questions, and become informed before casting their ballots.
Additional information about both November proposals is available through the Hemlock Public School District election webpage.