KALKASKA -- Voters in Kalkaska Public Schools soon will be asked to approve a tax request that would allow the district to collect a significant portion of its revenue for next year.
The 18-mill, non-homestead operational millage generates about $5.9 million for Kalkaska schools and will be on the ballot in a special election Feb. 24.
"It's not a new millage," Superintendent Lee Sandy said. "I would hope people understand."
The levy is collected on businesses and vacation homes, not on those whose primary residence is in Kalkaska County. If approved, it would take effect July 1 and last through 2011.
Administrators placed the question on the ballot in February so they would have a second opportunity in May if it were to fail, Sandy said. He hopes it doesn't.
It happened last November in Kingsley, when voters rejected a similar operating millage by a margin of 1,681 to 1,438.
Kingsley Superintendent Lynn Gullekson said his district will try again May 5, and administrators plan to hold community forums in April and add information to school newsletters to explain the proposal to voters.
If not approved by November, Kingsley Area Schools could lose about $950,000.
This week was the filing deadline for both proposals and candidates to be placed on the May ballot.
Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools again will ask voters to approve a bond proposal, although it will be "substantially less" than one that failed in November, Superintendent Tom Stobie said.
The five-year, 0.31-mill bond request went down 1,165 to 1,132. It would have generated about $855,000 for technology upgrades, new buses and infrastructure improvements.
Administrators now are seeking $530,000 in bond funds, and have pared the technology request and removed a planned office renovation from consideration, Stobie said.
The proposal would last nearly seven years.
"Our existing buses, we're keeping them running, but repair bills continue to pile," he said. "The needs are still there."
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