Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Some Facts About the Non-Homestead Millage Vote


YOUR YES VOTE is worth $1,100,000 to the EGR schools!!
   
Election day is Tuesday, May 4th.  VOTE YES on Operating Millage Proposal:
   
  • No change in taxes on EGR homeowners
  • Renews 18 mill tax on EGR business, industrial, agricultural and rental properties only.
  • No primary EGR residences will be affected
  • YES = $1,100,000 directly to EGR Schools budget
With a proposed $2.5 million EGR School Budget cut:
   
YOUR YES VOTE KEEPS $1,100,000 in their coffers!!
  
YOUR YES VOTE PREVENTS the schools from a $3.6 million shortfall!!
   
YOUR YES VOTE = an easy way to help your schools!  Spread the word!!!
   
   
OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL
  
This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of 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.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in East Grand Rapids Public Schools, Kent County, Michigan, be increased by 18 mills ($18.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 3 years, 2010, 2011 and 2012, to provide funds for operating purposes (17.8669
mills of the above is a renewal of millage which expired with the 2009 tax levy and .1331 mill is a restoration of millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963); the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2010 is approximately $1,100,000?
  
The Legislative Committee encourages you to get out and vote!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

May 4, 2010

Please get out and vote for the Non-Homestead Property Tax.  This tax is about $350 per student each school year!!

Dates to Remember

April 26 7pm School Board Meeting. Wealthy Auditorium.  The budget committee will publicly offer recommendations for cuts.

May 4 Vote!! For the Renewal of Nonhomestead property tax

June 7 5:30pm Budget Hearing. Wealthy Auditorium.  The budget for the 2010/11 school year will be proposed.

June 14 7pm School Board Meeting. The balanced budget will be adopted.

Recent Newspaper Articles Addressed by the Legislative Committee 4-4-10

At the last Legislative Committee meeting, we addressed some Grand Rapids Press articles.  Please find the links to these articles on the blog.
1.  The first set of articles had to do with the EGRPS fund balance.  One of the articles criticized the use of a fund balance, or a savings account, by school districts.  Assistant Superintendent of Business, Kevin Phillips, reported to us that the professional organization that he belongs to recommends a 15% fund balance to be used to buffer erratic state funding, to buffer budget cuts and to minimize the interest on loans taken out by school districts to pay for expenses incurred during the schoolistrict's fiscal year, beginning July 1st before the first State payment of School Aid funds around October 20 each year.

EGRPS is following these guidelines and is utilizing the fund balance during this school year and in the 2010/11 and the 2011/12 school years to soften the blow of severe budget cuts over a million dollars in deficits.  We will go from 15% to around 11% by the end of the 2011/12 fiscal year.


We then addressed the ongoing Press articles about EGRPS cutting the custodial staff.  Mr. Phillips explained that the Administration is looking carefully at bids that will save the district $500,000 (out of a $1.1 million expense in a $28 million budget) and keep the cuts out of the classroom. In fairness to the custodial staff, if they are able to cut their costs by $350,000, then the district will keep them on and forego the outsourcing of the services.


















Your Legislative Committee Recommends Action!!



If we are concerned about budget cuts in the schools, we have to contact our elected representatives.





Representative Dave Hildenbrand (517) 373-0846 rephildenbrand@house.mi.gov

Senator Mark Jansen (517) 373-0797 SenMJansen@senate.michigan.gov

Governor Jennifer Granholm (517) 335-7858



Dates to remember:



April 26 7pm School Board Meeting. The budget committee will publicly offer recommendations for cuts.

May 4 Vote!! For the Renewal of Nonhomestead property tax

June 7 5:30pm Budget Hearing. The budget for the 2010/11 school year will be proposed.

June 14 7pm School Board Meeting. The balanced budget will be adopted.