KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Polls are officially closed as Michigan voters decide on several new elected officials, local ballot proposals, school millages, and more.
Here is a breakdown of the ballot questions for Kalamazoo County. Election results will be posted and updated as they come in on Tuesday. This does not include absentee ballots.
— KALAMAZOO CITY —
Mayoral Candidates:
- ***David Anderson: 5,879***
- David Benac: 3,094
- Esteven Juarez: 558
- Corey Smith: 373
- Write-in: 38
City Commission Candidates (3 elected):
- Jacob Andrews: 2,623
- Andrew Argo: 1,449
- Emily Demorest: 3,306
- ***Patrese Griffin: 5,242***
- ***Jeanne Hess: 4,369***
- Pete Kushner: 3,563
- ***Chris J Praedel: 4,202***
- Benjamin Hayden Stanley: 551
- Write-in: 45
KRESA CTE Proposal: (84 or 87 precincts reported)
- ***Yes: 18,414***
- No: 12,360
Shall Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency, Michigan, come under sections 681 to 690 of the Revised School Code, as amended, and establish an area career and technical education program, which is designed to encourage the operation of area career and technical education programs, if the annual property tax levied for this purpose is limited to 1 mill ($1.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 20 years, 2020 to 2039, inclusive; the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2020 is approximately $8,264,827 from local property taxes authorized herein?
— PARCHMENT CITY —
City Commission Candidates (3 elected):
- Michael Conner: 123
- ***Holly Evans: 146***
- ***Doug Fooy: 155***
- ***Robin Madaras: 176***
— PORTAGE —
Mayoral Candidate:
- ***Patricia M. Randall: 2,108***
City Commission Candidates (3 elected):
- ***Chris Burns: 1,863***
- ***Richard J. Ford: 1,835***
- ***Jim Pearson: 1,886***
Portage Public Schools Renewal of Building and Site Sinking Fund Tax Levy:
- ***Yes: 4,503***
- No: 2,922
If approved, this authorization renews and extends the previously authorized building and site sinking fund tax levy which expires with the 2019 levy. Pursuant to state law, the expenditure of the sinking fund tax proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds may not be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, maintenance or other operating expenses. As a renewal of previously authorized millage which expires with the 2019 levy, shall the limitation on the amount of property taxes which may be assessed against all property in the Portage Public Schools be increased by, and the Board of Education be authorized to levy, not to exceed 0.50 mill ($0.50 on each $1,000.00 of taxable valuation) for a period of five (5) years, being 2020 to 2024, inclusive, to be used to fund a sinking fund for the purchase of real estate for sites for, and/or the construction or repair of, school buildings? The estimate of the revenue the School District will collect if the millage renewal is approved and levied in 2020 is approximately $1,195,452.
Portage District Library Millage Proposal:
- ***Yes: 4,435***
- No: 3,037
Shall the Portage District Library, County of Kalamazoo, Michigan, be authorized to levy a new additional millage in an amount not to exceed .5 mill ($.50 on each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the Portage District Library district for a period of ten (10) years, 2019 to 2028, inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for all district library purposes authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue the Portage District Library will collect if the millage is approved and levied by the Portage District Library in the first year (2019) is approximately $1,204,000. By law, revenue from this millage may be subject to capture by the Portage Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the Kalamazoo County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
— WAKESHMA TOWNSHIP —
Fire Protection Millage Proposal:
- ***Yes: 91***
- No: 42
Shall the previous voted millage increases in the tax limitations imposed under Article IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Wakeshma Township of 1 mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value), which has been reduced to .9810 mills by required millage rollbacks be renewed and increased to the original voted 1 mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 10 years (2020 through 2029 inclusive) for the purpose of funding fire department operations and first responder services and paid to the South County Fire Department or such other fire department that the Township Board shall contract with; and shall the Township levy such increase in millage for said purpose during said period, thereby raising in the first year an estimated $69,195.
— PLAINWELL —
Plainwell Community Schools Bonding Proposal
- Yes: 577
- No: 593
Shall Plainwell Community Schools, Allegan, Kalamazoo and Barry Counties, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed $48,655,000 and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefore, in one or more series, for the purpose of: erecting, furnishing and equipping additions to school buildings; remodeling, equipping and re-equipping, and furnishing and refurnishing school buildings; acquiring, installing and equipping or re-equipping school buildings for instructional technology; and preparing, developing, improving and equipping playgrounds and sites?
— SCHOOLCRAFT —
Schoolcraft Community Schools Bonding Proposal
- Yes: 769
- No: 830
Shall Schoolcraft Community Schools, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Thirty-Nine Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($39,900,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, for the purpose of: erecting, furnishing, and equipping a new elementary school; erecting, furnishing, and equipping additions to the high school to convert it to a grades 7- 12 facility; remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing and equipping and re-equipping existing school buildings; acquiring and installing instructional technology in school buildings; and erecting, equipping, preparing, developing and improving playgrounds, playfields, athletic fields and facilities, and sites?
— ST. JOSEPH COUNTY —
St. Joseph County Intermediate School District Area Career and Technical Education Proposal:
- Yes: 3,889
- No: 2,651
Shall St. Joseph County Intermediate School District, Michigan, come under sections 681 to 690 of the Revised School Code, as amended, and establish an area career and technical education program, which is designed to encourage the operation of area career and technical education programs, if the annual property tax levied for this purpose is limited to 1 mill ($1.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2019 to 2028, inclusive; the estimate of the revenue the intermediate school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2019 is approximately $2,370,330 from local property taxes authorized herein (which funds are expected to be disbursed to a consortium of school districts operating an area career and technical education program, which consortium may include Burr Oak Community Schools, Centreville Public Schools, Colon Community Schools, Constantine Public Schools, Mendon Community Schools, Mendon Community Schools, Nottawa Community School, The Sturgis Public School District, Three Rivers Community Schools, White Pigeon Community Schools and St. Joseph County Intermediate School District)?
This information is according to Kalamazoo County’s Office of County Clerk & Register of Deeds.
A full list of issues and races for each area can be found at vote411.org.
Updated polling results can be found here.
