Simplified Ballot Explanation for Voters in Dexter Primary Elections

Elections are the heart of democracy, guaranteeing every registered voter an equal voice. As good citizens and neighbors, we all have a responsibility to be engaged and informed voters. However, complicated ballot language, unfamiliar technical terms, and partisan rhetoric can make that nearly impossible. Here’s a simplified explanation of the language that appears on Dexter’s ballots in the August 6 state primary.

Municipality of Scio
In addition to the three Washtenaw County initiatives described below, voters in Scio Township are being asked to renew and reinstate the township’s transportation tax, which is currently set to expire at the end of this year. First approved by voters in 2015, the tax funds public transportation services in Scio Township, including several AAATA routes serving the Jackson Road, Scio Ridge and Dexter/Wagner Road areas; public transportation for seniors and people with disabilities through the A-Ride service; and the WAVE Community Connector.

The proposed tax rate for this is .3627 mill, which is the same rate that was approved by voters in 2015. This means that if approved, the city would collect a tax of $.3627 for every $1,000 of the taxable value of a home. Remember, the taxable value of a home is 50% of its actual value, so a home valued at $200,000 has a taxable value of $100,000. The owner of that home/property would be charged $36.27 per year to cover the cost of this city transit program. The tax would be collected for 10 years, expiring in December 2034.

For the sake of transparency, it’s important to note that while the proposed rate is the same as the rate approved by voters in 2015, the city has actually been on a “rolled back” (slightly reduced) rate since 2023. This is due to a complicated and somewhat obscure Michigan law called the Headlee Amendment, which limits the total amount of taxes that can be collected by taxing authorities in certain cases. If approved, the rate would be restored to the .3627 mill rate approved in 2015, and for most homeowners, the difference between that and the Headlee Amendment rate would likely be less than $10 per year.

Municipality of Webster
Voters in Webster Township are being asked to consider two proposals from the township in addition to the three proposals from Washtenaw County.

Proposal A
Proposition A asks Webster Township voters to approve a new tax that will be used to maintain, reconstruct, repave or preserve roads in Webster Township. The proposed rate is .8225 mills and would be collected for 10 years, beginning with the December 2024 tax collection cycle. A taxpayer with a property valued at $200,000 and a taxable value of $100,000 would be charged $82.25 per year for this funding program for roads in the township.

Proposal B
Proposition B asks Webster Township voters to renew the existing Farmland and Open Space Preservation millage that is currently set to expire at the end of this year. The proposed rate for this renewal is .5000, which is the same rate that voters previously approved. Due to the Headlee Amendment, the rate was rolled back to .4735 in 2023, but if it is renewed, it will return to the original .5000.

This means that the city would collect a tax of $0.50 for every $1,000 of the property’s taxable value. A home valued at $200,000 has a taxable value of $100,000. The owner of that home/property would be charged $50 per year to cover the cost of this Farmland and Open Space millage renewal. That same owner would have paid $47.35 in a year when the Headlee Amendment adjusted rate was used.

County of Washtenaw
Each Washtenaw County primary voter will be asked to consider three countywide ballot measures. All three are extensions of previously approved measures that have expired or will soon expire, and there is no increase in any of the previously approved mill rates.

Despite the simplicity of these reforms, the language of the proposal is confusing and easily misunderstood, again due to the rollbacks of the Headlee Act. All the extra language about different mill rates in these measures is simply a legal way of saying that the rate being charged is slightly lower than the rate voters previously approved, and that if reapproved, the rate will be restored to the originally approved mill rate.

Proposal A
Proposition A asks voters to renew funding for the continued construction and maintenance of roads, bike lanes, streets and trails in Washtenaw County. It was last approved in 2020 and expired with the 2023 tax collections. The funds would be distributed to the “Washtenaw County Road Commission, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation, and the several cities, villages and townships of Washtenaw County to maintain, construct, repave, reconstruct or preserve roads, bike lanes, streets and trails in Washtenaw County.”

The proposed rate for this is .5000 mills. This rate was approved by voters in 2020, but was rolled back to .4950 in 2023 due to the Headlee Amendment and then expired. If renewed, the rate would be restored to .5000 mills and collected for four years, from 2024 through 2027.

This means that the city would collect a tax of $0.50 for every $1,000 of the property’s taxable value. Remember, the taxable value of a property is 50% of its actual value, so a home valued at $200,000 has a taxable value of $100,000. The owner of that home/property would be charged $50 per year to cover the cost of this road maintenance program. That same owner would have paid $49.50 in a year using the Headlee Amendment’s adjusted rate.

Proposal B
Proposition B asks voters to renew operating funding for the Washtenaw County Conservation District. Previously approved by voters in 2020, the .0200 mill rate was rolled back to .0197 in 2023 due to the Headlee Amendment and will now expire in 2025.

The Washtenaw County Conservation District provides “programs to assist residents in protecting surface and groundwater quality, enhancing wildlife habitat, managing woodlots, reforestation and tree planting, removing invasive species, and reducing soil erosion” and “providing conservation resources, education, and outreach to residents.” It also “strengthens the local food system by promoting sustainable agricultural practices throughout Washtenaw County.”

If approved, the rate would be restored to .0200 and collected for six years, from 2026 through 2031. A taxpayer with $200,000 in property and $100,000 in taxable value would pay $2.00 per year for this program. The same taxpayer would pay $1.97 in a year affected by the Headlee Amendment.

Proposal C
Proposition C asks voters to continue funding Washtenaw County parkland and recreation facilities. A rate of .2500 was approved by voters in 2014, but was rolled back to .2387 in 2023 due to the Headlee Amendment and will now expire in 2026. An extension of this funding provides for the acquisition, development, maintenance and operation of parkland and recreation facilities within Washtenaw County.

If approved, the rate would be restored to .2500 and collected for 10 years, from 2026 through 2036. A property with a taxable value of $100,000 would generate $25 per year for this county program. In a year affected by the Headlee Amendment, that same property would generate $23.87.