Washtenaw Intermediate School District millage would raise more than $30 million for local school districts

Note: This story has been corrected; the millage would raise $30 million per year, not $30 million over five years. We'll further update the story Monday.

A new countywide school enhancement tax would raise about $30 million for local school districts, helping to alleviate budget problems in many districts.

The money, which would come from a 2-mill tax on all property in Washtenaw County, would be distributed to the 10 school districts that make up the Washtenaw Intermediate School District.

County voters would have to approve the measure. It would have to be placed on the ballot by the WISD’s school board. The WISD board has scheduled an Aug. 4 meeting to vote on placing the measure on the ballot.

Local school boards are in the process of approving resolutions supporting the enhancement millage and asking the WISD board to place it on the ballot.

Local school officials want to put it on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. For that to happen, it would have to be approved by Aug. 24, WISD spokeswoman Gerri Allen said. Local school boards have until Aug. 4 to approve their own resolutions asking the WISD to put it on the ballot. The WISD board has to vote to put it on the ballot, but won't do that unlessÂ the 10 traditional school districts ask them to.

The tax would last five years.Â

A 2-mill tax would raise about $680 per student in the county, said Brian Marcel, the WISD’s assistant superintendent for business services. The money would be added to each district’s general operating fund and not targeted for any specific items.

If the tax is approved by voters, it would be added to homeowner’s tax bill.

A homeowner with a $100,000 house with a taxable value of $50,000 would pay $100 per year more; a homeowner with a house with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay $200 more a year; a homeowner with a house with a taxable value of $150,000 would pay $300 more, the WISD said in a fact sheet about the millage.

Mary Ann Washington, 53, of Scio Township, would pay a little more than $200 a year under the plan. She’s on the fence about whether she wants to.

“I know the schools are hurting and they are important, but we don’t really have any extra money right now,” said Washington, who said her husband was laid off from his job in the auto industry three months ago. “It’s going to be a hard choice for us. I’m glad I don’t have to vote right now.”

Ann Arbor, the county’s largest school district, would get the most money under the plan, more than $11.2 million per year. Ann Arbor had to make cuts in its budget for this school year to make up a $7 million budget shortfall.

District officials are projecting an $11 million to $15 million budget deficit in the 2010-11 school year without an enhancement millage. Ann Arbor would have to cut 200 positions to get $15 million in savings.

Most other local school districts would get $1.3 million to $3.7 million annually.

Saline would get the second-highest amount in the county - $3,748,612.

Superintendent Scot Graden said the money will help a district that made several cuts in its budget for the upcoming year, including a few layoffs.

“We have begun to discuss possible program enhancements in Saline in addition to the program and staff cuts that could be adverted,” Graden said. “Ultimately, it is about preserving the quality of public education in Washtenaw County.”

If voters pass the enhancement millage, Washtenaw County would be the fourth county in the state to pass a general enhancement millage, joining Midland, Monroe and Kalamazoo counties.

David Jesse covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2534 or davidjesse@annarbor.com.