Alcona County Schools Millage Special Election

On May 6, 2025, Alcona County School District residents will decide whether or not to keep property taxes for all land owners where they are or, opt for a reduction (those in the Oscoda School District are not included in this).

We would like to make everyone aware of all the facts as we have come to possess them regarding the special election being held on May 6, 2025.  We will discuss and provide documentation regarding the cost of doing a special election, we will show you what is on the ballot, and demonstrate the costs affixed to all property in order to provide funding to the schools.  Opinions will be noted and are not the opinions of the Alcona GOP, but rather those of the Alcona GOP Chairman, Jeffrey Dobbs.

The whole truth matters!

One of our board members, Judy French has been at the forefront of obtaining direct information regarding the costs and the reasons for the timing of this special election.  We feel that knowing the full truth is an integral aspect to the maintenance of our Constitutional Republic.  It is of great importance within any community, that people seek out the truth, especially since it is not proffered freely. (Shouldn’t all matters of public record & expenditure be provided without the asking?  Perhaps another topic for another day…)

Either way, voters need to be aware of not only what is going on.  They also need information in order to potentially extrapolate on their own, the “why”.  Thank you Judy for your efforts!

The Alcona County Republicans are not taking an official position on this election as a party.  Meaning, we are not asking for a “yea or nay” vote – even if our members do have some questions regarding the timing & methodology.  These questions primarily stem from the very real fact that this initiative could have been added to the ballot – at no additional cost to the district’s taxpayers – during the general election last November.  It is, instead, costing in the neighborhood of $30,000.00 to run a special election. The documents Judy obtained to corroborate this figure will be attached below.

Are special elections commonplace in Alcona County?

In the last 14 years, Alcona (and Oscoda) Schools are the only entities within the county paying extra to have their own special elections.  All other millage funded entities – like the MSU Extension/4H, 911, EMS, ACCOA, Library, Community Centers, Road Commission, and Fire Departments – have all opted to forego the additional cost.  They have simply added their initiatives to the general or primary election ballots.  Alcona Schools have held special elections in 2011, 2015, 2023, and in 2025.  Oscoda Schools (for those of us in the Southern part of the County) have held special millage elections in 2015, 2019, and 2024.

Throughout the State of Michigan, a large majority of the special elections taking place this May are regarding school millage renewals and additions – with a few local municipal elections serving as an exception.  To me, it is a curious coincidence that so many schools throughout the state choose to ask for money in such a costly manner.
https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/michigan-special-election-guide-may-6-races-around-state
Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20250427200954/https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/michigan-special-election-guide-may-6-races-around-state

My own editorial observation:

The schools are opening their organization up for scrutiny by adding this additional cost.  There are a lot of moving parts for elections, and the county & townships are all incurring expenses – even if most of them are paid pursuant to their election fees.  I would personally hope that this is not a politically motivated move, and merely an oversight.

The issue is being addressed.

The Superintendent of the Schools, Mr. Dan O’Connor had the following to say in email correspondence regarding the choice to pursue measures like this via a special election in the future:

I have created a plan for future years and ensure there will be no special elections to help protect taxpayer resources.  Again, I can accept responsibility for operating under past practices.  Moving forward, the plan will help alleviate any future special election costs.  I’m also talking with other districts and counties around the state on some potential other options for schools running their elections and doing a better job with the burden of not only the cost but also the capacity challenges, especially in rural locations.  Again, I’m not running from the responsibility or frustration.  I’m working on putting the process in a much better place in future years.  

Mr. O’Connor has been invited to our meeting on Monday 28 April, 2025 in order to provide his own insight and answer questions.  He has been superintendent since 2017 – so this practice predates his leadership.  To the author, this appears to me an M.O. of education based millages throughout the state and it would be unfair to single out Mr. O’Connor as an outlier. As fiscal conservatives, we do applaud current efforts to ensure reduction of future funding waste.

So, what is on the ballot?

There are actually two millage renewals on the ballot.  Here is the precise ballot language for each:

Alcona Community Schools Operating Millage Renewal Proposal

This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance. The remaining 2.0824 mills are only available to be levied to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the “Headlee” amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will only be levied to the extent necessary to restore that reduction.

Shall the currently authorized millage rate limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Alcona Community Schools, Alcona County, Michigan, be renewed by 20.0824 mills ($20.0824 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 5 years, 2026 to 2030, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 18 mills are levied in 2026 is approximately $5,973,412 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2025 tax levy)?

Alcona Community Schools Sinking Fund Millage Renewal Proposal

This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the building and site sinking fund millage that expires with the 2025 tax levy.

Shall the currently authorized millage rate of .9847 mill ($0.9847 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) which may be assessed against all property in Alcona Community Schools, Alcona County, Michigan, be renewed for a period of 5 years, 2026 to 2030, inclusive, to continue to provide for a sinking fund for the construction or repair of school buildings, for school security improvements, for the acquisition or upgrading of technology and all other purposes authorized by law; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2026 is approximately $622,693 (this is a renewal of millage that will expire with the 2025 tax levy)?

The costs are easy to ascertain.

The math is easy here.  Each proposal outlines the cost to be added against ALL real property in the school district for the purpose of funding schools.  This applies whether you are homesteaded or, not – and, whether you have children in the system or, not.

My take:

When voting on millages, these days, it is always wise to ask:  Is it worth losing my home over this?  Are there no other ways for schools to raise money? Will this actually allow kids to learn more effectively? Times are tough.  Ensure you are getting ROI.  Especially when your life’s biggest investments are literally on the line for it.

The answers to these questions are, of course, up to you.  We simply seek to provide you with enough information to guide you in your decisions.

Here is a breakdown of the costs to taxpayers as provided by the Schools (source below):

Example 1:

An individual has a house within Alcona Community School
District’s boundaries. The property has a taxable value of
$75,000 and is the individuals principal residence. Below is the
amount of tax that this individual would pay with the millage:

Operating Tax $0.00
Sinking Fund Tax $73.85
Total Assessed Property Tax $73.85

Example 2:

An individual has a house within Alcona Community School
District’s boundaries. The property has a taxable value of
$75,000. The individual does not have the property classified as
their principal residence or another exempt classification. Below
is the amount of tax that this individual would pay with the
millage:

Operating Tax $1,350.00
Sinking Fund Tax $73.85
Total Assessed Property Tax $1,423.85

Here is all of the documentation – provided pursuant to FOIA requests:

The sample ballots and the Property Tax Millage Example as provided by the school website:

2025 Ballot Proofs Obtained from Alcona Schools
2025 Example Property Tax Costs

Source: https://www.alconaschools.net/o/alcona-community-schools/page/m6e
Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20250427185900/https://www.alconaschools.net/o/alcona-community-schools/page/m6e

God bless!
Jeffrey Dobbs