KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Voters in Kalamazoo County will likely be asked to renew an enhancement millage to support local schools when they go to the polls in May.
The 1.5 mill question has been approved by large margins every time its been on the ballot. A family with a $100,000 home pays about $75 a year.
Interim Kalamazoo Superintendent Gary Start says it would have a devastating impact on classroom programs if they lost that funding source.
Start explained that “it’s not going to increase anybody’s tax rate beyond what they’ve been paying since 2005, but it’s expired so if it’s not renewed this district alone would lose 4.6 million dollars in revenue.”
He says this was the way all school funding was generated in Michigan before “Proposal A”, but he says the state funding that resulted has not kept pace with inflation. “So it’s absolutely critical that KRESA puts this on the ballot,” Start stated.
Kalamazoo Trustees endorsed putting it on the ballot last night.
The $12.6 million collected is divided among the 9 school districts in Kalamazoo County.
(John McNeill contributed to this report.)
