Brought to you by Election Magic November 8, 2011 General Election - 11/8/2011

Proposal Text

Hartford Township Road Proposal -- Renewal

ROAD MAINTENANCE RENEWAL PROPOSAL Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in the Township of Hartford, Van Buren County, Michigan, remain 1.4347 mills ($1.4347 for each $1,000.00) on taxable valuation of real property for the years 2011 and 2012 for the purpose of Township road maintenance and construction; which levy will raise in the first year the estimated sum of $96,447.28?

Hartford Township Fire Proposal -- Renewal

FIRE APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT RENEWAL PROPOSAL Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in the Township of Hartford, Van Buren County, Michigan, remain 0.7150 mills ($0.7150 for each $1,000.00) on taxable valuation of real property for the years 2011 and 2012 to provide funds for purchasing fire apparatus and equipment for the use by the Hartford Fire Department; (the estimate of the revenue the Township will collect if the millage is renewed and levied for the first year is approximately $48,065.66); this is a renewal of a tax that expired in 2010 and such renewal tax levy to be contingent upon approval by the City of Hartford of a similar renewal?

Hartford City Fire Proposal -- Renewal

FIRE APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT RENEWAL PROPOSAL Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in the City of Hartford, Van Buren County, Michigan, remain 1.5669 ($1.57 for each $1,000) on taxable valuation of real property for the years 2011 and 2012 to provide funds for purchasing fire apparatus and equipment for the use by the Hartford Fire Department; (the estimate of the revenue the City will collect if the millage is renewed and levied for the first year is approximately $50,863.18); this is a renewal of a tax that expired in 2010 and such renewal tax levy to be contingent upon approval by the Township of Hartford of a similar renewal?

Hartford City Question #1 -- Charter

QUESTION #1 Shall Section 4.2A be added to the Charter of the City of Hartford to: 1) require bi-annual voter approval by a majority of qualified electors of the City of the appointment or reappointment of a City Manager by the City Commission; 2) prohibit the City from obtaining further compensated services from a former City Manager; and 3) prohibit conducting City business with any group or association which in any way compensates a former City Manager?

Hartford City Question #2 -- Charter

QUESTION #2 Shall Section 3.9(F) be added to the Charter of the City of Hartford be amended to: 1) to require an election to enact an ordinance or amendment to an ordinance; 2) require a 2/3 majority vote of the registered electors for the approval of the enactment of any ordinance or amendment of any ordinance; 3) require the City to mail a copy of each proposed ordinance or amendment to all households within the City at least six weeks prior to the date of the election; and, 4) for these purposes, have the electors serve as part of the legislative body of the City?

South Haven City Controlled Substances -- Renewal

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ENFORCEMENT MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL Shall the previously-voted millage to fund activities to enforce laws in the City of South Haven, which prohibit or control the manufacture, sale, delivery and use of controlled substances as defined by applicable state laws, rules and regulations, as reduced by the required millage rollback, be renewed at 0.6798 mills ($0.6798 per thousand dollars of taxable value) for a period of 5 years (2012 through 2016 inclusive) and shall the city be authorized to levy this millage on all taxable property in the city raising an estimated $252,795 in the first year of the levy? (To the extent required by law, a portion of the tax levy will be captured by the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority of the City of South Haven, the Downtown Development Authority of the City of South Haven and the City of South Haven Local Development Finance Authority.)

Bangor Public Schools -- Bonding Proposal

BONDING PROPOSAL Shall Bangor Public Schools, Van Buren County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Eight Million Four Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars ($8,480,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, for the purpose of: partially remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing, equipping and re-equipping school facilities; acquiring, installing and equipping technology for school facilities; constructing, equipping, developing and improving athletic facilities; and developing and improving sites? The following is for informational purposes only: The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2012 is 2.90 mills ($2.90 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is twenty-five (25) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.88 mills ($2.88 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). If the school district borrows from the State to pay debt service on the bonds, the school district may be required to continue to levy mills beyond the term of the bonds to repay the State. (Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)

Covert Public Schools -- Building & Site Fund

COVERT PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT NO. 18 COUNTIES OF VAN BUREN AND BERRIEN, MICHIGAN BUILDING AND SITE SINKING FUND TAX PROPOSAL This proposal, if approved by the electors, will allow the Covert Public Schools District No. 18 to levy a building and site sinking fund millage, the proceeds of which will be used to pay the cost of infrastructure improvements and repairs to the School District’s facilities. Pursuant to State Law, the expenditure of the building and site sinking fund millage proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, maintenance or other operating expenses. Shall the Covert Public Schools District No. 18, Counties of Van Buren and Berrien, State of Michigan, be authorized to levy 2.0 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable valuation), for a period of five (5) years, from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2017, to create a building and site sinking fund for the purpose of the construction or repair of school buildings or any other purpose authorized under Michigan law? This millage would provide estimated revenues to the Covert Public Schools District No. 18 of approximately One Million One Hundred Eighteen Thousand Dollars ($1,118,000) during the 2012 calendar year, if approved and levied.

Mattawan Consolidated School -- Bonding Proposal

BONDING PROPOSAL Shall Mattawan Consolidated School, Van Buren and Kalamazoo Counties, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Fifty-Nine Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($59,900,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor, for the purpose of: erecting, furnishing and equipping two new elementary schools; acquiring, installing and equipping technology for the new elementary schools and existing school facilities; partially furnishing and refurnishing, equipping and re-equipping school facilities; constructing and equipping playgrounds; and developing and improving sites? The following is for informational purposes only: The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2012, under current law, is 3.40 mills ($3.40 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is thirty (30) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 4.51 mills ($4.51 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). If the school district borrows from the State to pay debt service on the bonds, the school district may be required to continue to levy mills beyond the term of the bonds to repay the State. (Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)