Les Cheneaux Community Schools will ask district voters to renew 18-mill levy against non-homestead properties in the May 3 school election. The 18-mill non-homestead levy raises two-thirds of the district’s budget, and without it “the school system would shut-down,” said Superintendent Rod Goehmann.

He estimated the millage provides 65 percent of the nearly $3 million it takes to run Les Cheneaux Schools. Money generated by the 18-mill levy is used only for general fund operational expenditures, including salaries, books, regular education programs, lunch, transportation, and utilities.

“All of the money collected by the 18 mills stays here and none of it goes to Lansing,” Mr. Goehmann said.

Residents of the Les Cheneaux Schools District, which includes Clark Township and parts of Marquette and Raber townships, are eligible to vote in the election. This year, residents will only be allowed to vote in their home township. Clark Township residents will vote at the Community Center in Cedarville, Marquette Township voters will vote at the township hall in Pickford, and Raber taxpayers will vote at Raber Township Hall in Goetzville. Previously, voters of the district traveled to Clark Township to participate in the Les Cheneaux election.

Les Cheneaux Community Schools Board of Education now renews the 18-mill levy on an annual basis, owing to fluctuating property values that have caused the millage rate to be rolled back under the state’s Headlee Amendment. The amendment requires a rollback when property values rise faster than the rate of inflation, and chips away at the full 18 mills. Last year, voters approved a Headlee Override to restore approximately $150,000 “lost” by a Headlee rollback that would have reduced the 18 mills to 16.5.

The 18 mills ($18 for every $1,000 of taxable value) is levied against all non-homestead properties in Clark Township and parts of Marquette and Raber townships. Non-homestead properties include summer homes, commercial properties and businesses, guesthouses, hunting camps, second homes, and rental properties. The 18-mill levy is in addition to six mills levied against all district properties for the State Education Fund.

According to Proposal A, public school districts are mandated to levy six mills against all properties to generate money for the State Education Fund. The money is redistributed around the state on a per-pupil basis. The State of Michigan appropriates at least $6,700 for each public school student. Some districts like Les Cheneaux collect more than the base allowance because they were already collecting more when Proposal A passed 11 years ago. Les Cheneaux receives $7,140 per student, and $4,641 of that allowance is raised by local, non-homestead taxes. The State of Michigan is supposed to send the district whatever it needs to provide the district its designated per-pupil allowance. Les Cheneaux receives $2,499 in state aid to make up the full $7,140 per student.

Mr. Goehmann said the money is crucial to retain the district’s current budget, without making too many cuts. Declining enrollment, which costs the district $7,140 per student, increasing health care costs, and a significant increase in the state retirement rate have all been hard on the district. Last year, the board of education trimmed more than $200,000 in expenditures from the district’s budget.

Mr. Goehmann doesn’t anticipate more cuts this year, “unless the foundation allowance stays flat or enrollment drops by 30 kids.”

“Then we may be looking at making some adjustments,” he said.

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has proposed increasing the per-pupil allowance by $175 each. This would increase per-pupil funding from $6,700 to $6,875. Les Cheneaux would get $7,315.