2020’s First Millage Proposals on March 10 Ballot

HARRISON – As the Cleaver goes to press on Super Tuesday, 12 of the 19 candidates listed on the ballot are no longer in contention. While several candidates had pulled out of the 2020 presidential primary race prior to the ballots being printed, many of those listed also have now withdrawn from their run for the White House. Of course, citizens have the right to vote for whomever they choose and certainly may vote for anyone on the list or even write in their candidate of choice. However, they should understand that the primary votes are used to allot convention delegates who, in turn, will determine which of the vying candidates the national parties will nominate to run for president in the November General Election.

Clare County voters will be casting their ballots in the Michigan Presidential Preference Primary on Tuesday, March 10, and they would be wise to keep an eye open for updates as to who may be leaving the ever-dwindling field of candidates after the Super Tuesday vote in 14 states and one U.S. territory – where1,357 delegates were at stake.

As of press time March 3, the candidate field included: (Democrats) Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Tulsi Gabbard, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren; and (Republicans) Donald Trump and Bill Weld, all of whom will be seeking allotment of delegates.

The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for July 13-16 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Republican National Convention will be held Aug. 24-27 in Charlotte, North Carolina. To gain the party’s nomination, the Republican nominee must garner 1,276 delegates and the Democratic nominee must have 1,991 delegates.

At the polls March 10, Clare County voters will have to state their choice of ballot: Democratic with millage proposals, Republican with millage proposals, or no-party with only the millage proposals.

The first proposal is for the Clare County Transportation millage which seeks 0.2000 of one mill (20 cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation) annually for a period of three years (2020-2022) inclusive. This millage has a potential to raise $218,462 to fund countywide transportation in the first calendar year of the levy. By state law, a portion of that millage also may be captured by the Downtown Development and Brownfield Authorities of the cities of Clare and Harrison; the Downtown Development Authority of the Village of Farwell; and the Village of Farwell/Surrey Township Local Development Finance Authority.

Mid Michigan College is seeking a millage to help recoup some of the funding it deems as having been lost due to the Headlee Amendment (Michigan Constitution of 1963) which limited escalation of taxable values. The college seeks to restore its charter millage to the full amount previously approved by the electors and to increase the same by 0.6268 mill (63.68 cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2020-2029, inclusive. This millage could provide an estimated $1,261,822 which would go to fund operating and other legally permissible purposes, including but not limited to acquisition of technology to support students and programs.

Those areas of Clare County townships which are served by Gladwin Community Schools will see a bonding proposal which seeks approval to borrow a sum not to exceed $3.5 million and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds. Those funds would go solely to remodeling, equipping and re-equipping school buildings. The estimated millage would be 0.2000 of one mill (20 cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation) for no millage increase over the previous year’s levy. The estimated simple annual millage required to retire this bond is 0.59 mill (59 cents per $1,000 taxable valuation).

The Michigan State Primary Election will be held Tuesday, Aug. 4 and the Michigan General Election will be Tuesday, Nov. 3. While voter registration can take place up to the day of election and absentee voting can now be done without a declared reason, early voting or in-person absentee voting will not be available for any of the elections.