“You win some, you lose some,” is an old saying that perhaps best describes the millage requests across Allegan County in Tuesday’s primary election.
Most millage proposals in this area were approved, but a few, notably a request for an increase for Dorr Township Library, a request for parks in Dorr and an increase for roads in Leighton Township were defeated.
The following is a rundown of the millage results and a couple of candidate races that did not have totals available late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning:
Allegan County
- Operating Surcharge Proposal —Yes 15,905, No 5,315. A renewal of up to $3 per month as a surcharge for the emergency 911 call program. The levy would be for six years, from Jan. 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2025.
- Road Resurfacing and Reconstruction Millage Restoration — Yes 15,352, No 5,883. A request for one mill for county primary road resurfacing, prevention and related preparation, and city/village road improvement, which expired at the end of 2017. This proposal would renew the 0.9916 mill not reduced by the Headlee Amendment millage rollback, and it would increase that millage by 0.0084 to restore it to its original one mill. The levy would be for six years, from 2018 through 2023 and would raise an estimated $4,454,082.35 in the first year.
- Allegan County Senior Citizens Services Millage — Yes 15,486 No 5,761. A proposal to levy 0.493 mill for four years, 2018 through 2021, inclusive, for the sole purpose of providing funds for services to senior citizens. It would raise an estimated $2,284,575 in the first calendar year of the levy. This proposal is a renewal of a previously voter authorized millage of 0.436 mills and a new additional millage of 0.057 mills.
Dorr Township
• Recycling Surcharge — Yes 863, No 848. To continue and expand solid waste reduction programs under the Allegan County Solid Waste Management Plan, an annual surcharge of $36 on all households for five years (2018-2022 inclusive).
• Library Millage Proposal — Yes 634, No 1,070. A request for up to .7980 mill, with .2980 mill a renewal of the millage rate that expires in 2019 and a half mill for new additional millage for 10 years, 2020 to 2029 inclusive. The first year of the millage, if approved, would have brought in about $212,000.
• Park Maintenance and Improvement — Yes 600, No 1105. A proposed new levy of additional .34 mill for five years, 2018 through 2022. This millage would have raised an estimated $85,328 in the first year.
Hopkins Township
• Major Fire Equipment Renewal and Restoration — Yes 350, No 163. A request for a renewal of the expiring millage and for restoring the original tax levy of one mill for five years, 2019 through 2023. The purpose is to replace major fire equipment for the Hopkins Area Fire Department, thereby raising in the first year of the levy an estimated $80,000.
• Hopkins Public Schools Headlee Rollback — Yes 954, No 713. A request to increase by 1.7808 mills the tax levy for four years, 2018 through 2021, to provide an estimated $703,425 to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963. It will be levied only to the extent necessary for restoration.
Leighton Township
• Fire and Police Protection Services — Yes 1,240, No 510. A new additional tax levy of a half mill for five years, 2019 through 2023, to provide funds for fire and police services. It would raise an estimated $117,846 in the first year.
• Police and Fire Services Millage Renewal — Yes 915, No 826. A proposal to renew the .9756 mill annually for five years, 2019 through 2023, to provide funds for fire and police protection services. This millage would raise an estimated $229,942 in the first year of the levy.
• Road Millage Renewal Proposal — Yes 1,108, No 640. A request for renewal of 0.9834 mill annually for five years, 2019 through 2023, to provide funds for road improvement and maintenance, thereby raising an estimated $229,942 in the first year.
• Road Millage Request — Yes 815, No 909. A proposal for a new tax levy for one mill for five years, 2019 through 2023, for the purpose of providing funds for public road improvement and maintenance. The millage would have raised an estimated $235,693 in the first year.
Watson Township
• Road Millage Renewal Proposal — Yes 265, No 97. A request for voters to renew a four-year, two-mill levy, thereby raising in the first year an estimated $127,323.90 from 2019 through 2022.
Additional Candidate Contests:
Allegan County Prosecutor Myrene Koch, who was appointed to the position earlier this year when Roberts Kengis was elevated to circuit judge, defeated a challenge from Allegan attorney Mike Villar in a fairly close race.
Rock Cain won the Seventh District seat primary on the Allegan County Board of Commissioners to succeed the retiring Don Black.
