Separate Tax Limitation Proposal – May 2, 2023 Election

What does this mean?

• Iosco County requested that the County Tax Allocation Board allocate an additional mill to the County
• This is done through setting the fixed millage
• 8.75 mills total can be allocated between County, Townships, and ISD by the tax allocation board if they deem appropriate.
  • Currently 5.75 are authorized
  •  4.5 mills to the County
  • 1.0 mill to General Law Townships
  •  .25 mills to the ISD
  • This leaves 3 unallocated mills that could be levied
  • Iosco County requested one additional mill of the 3 available
  • Iosco County’s current 4.5 mills is rolled back to 3.9105 mills
  • State average County operating millage is 5.71
  • Only three counties in Michigan with lower operating millages
    • Otsego 4.3
    • Ottawa 4.44
    • Tuscola 4.2
• Iosco County requested an additional mill for a total of 5.5 mills
• If approved in the election, will take effect in 2024
• County only plans to levy 5.2 mills in the first year
• The additional .3 mills will be used in future years if needed to offset future headlee rollbacks (state statute that reduces our millage rates when annual growth on a property is greater than inflation)
• Ballot language is set by statute
• Only effect on General Law Townships and ISD if it passes is it resets headlee for the first year and future rollbacks are prospective
• Additional approximately $1.6 million a year at the 5.2 mills
• Average homestead property of $46,000 would increase yearly property taxes for the County millage by approximately $59 at the 5.2 mills

Planned Uses

• Operating Millage for the County covers the following:
  • Jail
  • Trial Court
  • Prosecuting Attorney
  • Sheriff
  • Medical Examiner
  • Clerk
  • Treasurer
  • Register of Deeds
  • Equalization
  • Drain Commission
  • Emergency Manager
  • Elections
  • Buildings & Grounds
• Capital Improvements-currently no mechanism for funding any capital improvements
• Increase equalization and register of deeds staff
• Employee wage increases
• Desperately needed to be competitive and fully staffed
• Further cuts may be necessary when American Rescue Plan funds are spent