Election Day Ballot Preview

In preparation for Tuesday’s election, Dexter Patch is outlining the issues on the ballot for local voters.

• Dexter Community Schools Board of Trustees

(Four candidates, two open seats)

Name: (incumbent)

Issues: School finances and educational excellence

Name:  (incumbent)

Issues: Student achievement and financial stability

Name: (challenger)

Issues: Transparency and school board election date changes

Name: (challenger)

Issues: Keeping children first and developing teamwork

• Dexter Township Ballot Proposals

Proposal 1: Fire Millage

Shall Dexter Township impose an increase of up to 1.7 mills ($1.70 per $1,000 of taxable value) in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution and levy it for three (3) years, 2011 through 2013 inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for the provision of all lawful fire and emergency services including personnel, equipment and facilities, which 1.7 mills increase will raise an estimated $501,553.00 the first year the millage is levied?

Proposal 2: Police Services

Shall Dexter Township renew the previously voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution of up to 1.5 mills ($1.50 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 1.4856 mills ($1.4856 per $1,000 of taxable value) for three (3) years, 2011 through 2013 inclusive, for police services, including, but not limited to: Contracting for police services; hiring police officers and related staff; purchase and or lease of police vehicles and equipment; construction, purchase and or lease of facilities for police operations; contracting for dispatch services; and any and all other services related to police activities within Dexter Township, raising an estimated $438,298.00 in the first year the millage is levied?

What does this mean?

These ballot initiatives apply to Dexter Township residents only. Voters will be asked to vote "yes" or "no" to fund two public safety millages. The first is a 0.2144-millage increase for fire protection. The second is a three-year renewal of a 1.4856-mill levy for Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

The funding from the police millage will be used for contracting for police services, hiring police officers and related staff, the purchase and/or lease of police vehicles and equipment, the construction, purchase and/or lease of facilities for police operations, contracting for dispatch services and any and all other services related to police activities within the township.

Dexter Township pays for three deputies at a cost of $477,000 per year, projected to cost $558,000 in 2012.

Funding from the fire millage will help pay for services the township incurs from the Dexter Area Fire Department. According to Ann Arbor.com, if voters approve both proposals, a homeowner with a home valued at $100,000 would expect to pay $318 per year.

• Washtenaw Intermediate School District Special Education millage

Proposal 1

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Washtenaw Intermediate School District, Michigan, be increased by .9850 mill ($0.9850 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 7 years, 2011 to 2017, inclusive, to provide funds for the education of students with a disability (the above is a renewal of millage which expired with the 2010 tax levy); the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2011 is approximately $14,000,000?

What does this mean?

This proposal would allow the intermediate school district to levy the special education millage previously approved by the electors. For information on the WISD millage, check our .

Where to vote:

Village voters in Scio Township vote at the , while village voters in Webster Township vote at . Dexter Township residents vote at the .