Wayne County school enhancement millage: What you need to know

A large building with a mural on the side with green trees and cars along the street.
Voters across Wayne County will weigh in Nov. 5 on the renewal of a countywide enhancement millage that provides additional revenue for public schools. (Elaine Cromie / Votebeat)

Following a blockbuster year for ballot measures in 2022, this year’s general election is pretty quiet. Detroiters will see two local questions at the very end of the ballot. Both are millage questions.

Here’s what you need to know about the proposal to renew the Wayne County Regional Enhancement Millage.

What is Wayne County’s Regional Enhancement Millage?

The millage provides funding to county schools through the intermediate school district, Wayne RESA, as a supplement to state funding. Funds are shared among all 33 Wayne County school districts and more than 90 eligible public school academies based on student enrollment. Voters initially passed this millage in 2016 and renewed it in 2020 to last through the end of 2027. It’s up for another six-year renewal through 2033.

Wayne RESA says schools have used millage funding to reduce class sizes, improve safety and wellness services, and hire more teachers, among other things. In 2018, the agency said Detroit Public Schools Community District used the funds to stabilize its budget and increase staff salaries.

How much would this millage renewal cost me?

If renewed, this millage will tax property owners at a rate of about 1.98 mills per year for six years, starting in 2028. That means, for example, a homeowner whose house is worth $100,000 ($50,000 taxable value) would continue to pay about $8 per month.

Who’s in favor of the millage renewal?

Several superintendents, along with school board members and union officials, are urging voters to approve the millage renewal.

Some school boards opposed the millage in 2016 because their communities paid in more than their districts got back. But there does not appear to be an organized opposition to this year’s measure.

Shannon Mackie is a freelance writer for Outlier Media.

The Latest

SEPTA plans to reduce its service by 20% beginning in August. If those cuts go through, transportation officials say more than 55,000 Philadelphia students who rely on the public transit system will have a more difficult time getting to school.

Illinois lawmakers proposed a bill that would have required parents to notify school districts if they were going to homeschool their children. But opponents called it “draconian” and vowed to keep fighting it.

The Detroit school district surveyed high school students to get their thoughts on how to reduce chronic absenteeism.

This major policy change treats Head Start as a welfare program rather than an educational one.

Amid state budget troubles, alternative schools lost more than $4 million in funding.

This is my story of eviction and resilience.