Proposals on November Ballot

The Benzie County Chamber of Commerce has a nice page dedicated to Election Resources including election dates and voting resources.

PROPOSALS on your NOVEMBER  BALLOT 

BENZIE COUNTY PROPOSALS

This website has a lot of information about this proposal including a tax calculator where you can calculate the impact on your taxes, the impact this funding (or lack of funding) will have on services, and more. https://benzierenewal.org/

 

STATEWIDE PROPOSALS

Proposal 2026-01

A PROPOSAL TO CONVENE A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DRAFTING A GENERAL REVISION OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION

Shall a convention of elected delegates be convened in 2027 to draft a general revision of the State Constitution for presentation to the state’s voters for their approval or rejection?

Proposal 2026-02

A PROPOSED INITIATED LAW TO PROHIBIT CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CERTAIN REGULATED UTILITIES AND GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS AND APPLY CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO ADDITIONAL TYPES OF POLITICAL COMMUNICATIONS

The proposal would:

• Prohibit regulated electric and gas utilities, contractors with over $250,000 annually in government contracts, and people and organizations with substantial connections to these utilities/contractors from making direct or indirect campaign contributions to those who run for or hold offices that impact them.

• Expand laws regulating spending on political communications, including those requiring disclosing donor information, to apply to communications clearly identifying candidates or ballot questions, even if they do not expressly advocate voting for/against them.

• Expressly apply the law requiring disclosure of who paid for political communications to internet political communications.

Should this proposal be adopted?

 

BENZIE COUNTY PROPOSALS

SEPARATE TAX LIMITATION PROPOSAL

Shall separate tax limitations be established for a two-year period (2027-2028 inclusive), or until altered by the voters of the county, for the County of Benzie and the townships and intermediate school

districts within the County, the aggregate of which shall not exceed 4.9500 in mills as follows:

Mills

County of Benzie 3.7700

Townships 1.0000

Intermediate school district 0.1800

Total 4.9500

ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES PROGRAM MILLAGE PROPOSAL

For the purpose of providing funding for the County Animal Control Services Program in Benzie County, shall the tax limitation on general ad valorem taxes within the County of Benzie imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution be increased by up to 0.2100 of one (1) mill, ($0.2100 per $1,000 of Taxable Value) for a period of five (5) years (2026-2030) inclusive?

If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $423,347 for County Animal Control Services purpose in the first calendar year of the levy. As required by State law, a portion of the millage may be captured by the City of Frankfort Downtown Development Authority, Benzie County Brownfield Authority, and Honor Corridor Improvement Authority.

BENZIE COUNTY DRUG ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL

For the purpose of continuing to pay costs of enhancing law enforcement efforts and preserving and protecting the safety of the citizens of Benzie County, specifically for funding the drug interdiction program known as the Traverse Narcotics Team (TNT) and/or other drug enforcement and awareness programs in the TNT jurisdictions, including Benzie County, shall the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution on general ad valorem taxes within the County of Benzie, Michigan, as previously approved by the electors of Benzie County, be increased by up to 0.1000 mills ($.1000 per $1,000 of taxable value), and be levied for a period of five (5) years (2026-2030) inclusive?

If approved and levied in full, this millage would raise an estimated $201,594 for County Drug Enforcement Program operating purposes in the first calendar year. As required by State law, a portion of the millage may be captured by the City of Frankfort Downtown Development Authority, Benzie County Brownfield Authority, and Honor Corridor Improvement Authority.

ALMIRA TOWNSHIP PROPOSAL

ALMIRA TOWNSHIP EXTRA-VOTED GENERAL OPERATING MILLAGE

This proposal will permit the Township to levy up to 0.6702 mills for the purpose of general operation of Almira Township.

Shall Almira Township impose an increase of up to 0.6702 mills ($0.67 per $1,000 of taxable value) in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution and levy it for six (6) years, 2027 through 2032 inclusive, to support the general operations of Almira Township, raising an estimated $177,907 in the first year the millage is levied.

VILLAGE OF BEULAH PROPOSAL

REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF VILLAGE COUNCIL TRUSTEES

Ordinance Number 2026-004 adopted on May 26, 2026, reduces the number of Village Council Trustees from six (6) to four (4). Should Ordinance Number 2026-004 be approved, and the number of Trustees on the Village of Beulah Council be reduced to four (4)?

VILLAGE OF HONOR PROPOSALS

CITIZENS COMPENSATION COMMITTEE ORDINANCE PROPOSED ENACTMENT

Shall the Village of Honor adopt a Village of Honor Citizens Compensation Committee Ordinance (“Ordinance”) including the terms summarized below:

Section 1. Title and purpose

The purpose of the Ordinance is to create an independent citizens committee with the authority to establish and adjust the compensation of elected Village officials and employees.

Section 2. Creation of Citizens Compensation Committee

A Citizens Compensation Committee (“Committee”) is established.

Section 3. Membership and qualifications

The Committee shall consist of five members who are Village electors. The members are appointed by the Village President subject to confirmation by the Village Council.

Section 4. Powers and duties

The Committee shall determine the salaries and all compensation of elected Village officials and Village employees.

Section 5. Procedure for determination

The Committee shall meet in a public session and report its determinations to the Village Clerk.

Section 6. Effect of committee determinations; limitation on council authority

The Village Council can reject the Committee’s determination by a 2/3’s vote, but if so, the prior compensation remains in place until the Committee makes a new determination. The Council has no

authority to otherwise make any changes.

Section 7. Compensation of Committee members

The Committee members are to be paid $100 per meeting and other compensation approved by the Village Council.

Section 8. Relationship to charter: future changes

One year after the effective date of this ordinance, any further changes to Village elected official and employee compensation may only be enacted by amendment of the Village Charter.

Section 9. Severability

If any part of the Ordinance is held to be invalid, that does not affect the validity of the remaining parts of the Ordinance.

Section 10. Effective date

This Ordinance takes effect upon its publication.

 

WASTE REVENUE SEWER OFFSET ORDINANCE PROPOSED ENACTMENT

Shall the Village of Honor adopt a Waste Revenue Sewer Offset Ordinance (“Ordinance”) including the terms summarized below:

Section 1. Title and Purpose

The purpose of this Ordinance is to reduce sewer utility charges on residential/Business customers by allocating net revenues derived from municipal solid waste collection services to offset sewer

system costs.

Section 2. Definitions

This Section defines terms in the Ordinance.

Section 3. Establishment Sewer Offset Fund

A Sewer Offset Fund is established consisting of Net Waste Revenue

which shall be used to offset sewer utility charges.

Section 4. Allocation of Net Waste Revenue

On at least a quarterly basis, the Village shall transfer Net Waste Revenue into the Sewer Offset Fund and annually the Village Council shall determine, as part of the budget process, the portion of Net

Waste Revenue to be applied toward sewer rate offsets.

Sewer Rate Offset

Revenue from the Sewer Offset Fund shall offset sewer utility charges.

Section 6. Limitations

Nothing in this Ordinance shall be construed to violate Michigan law or impair any contractual obligations, including bond covenants, or prevent the Village from adjusting sewer rates as necessary to

maintain the financial integrity of the Sewer Utility.

Section 7. Administration

The Village President or/Designated Official shall administer this Ordinance and may promulgate applicable administrative rules.

Section 8. Severability

If any provision of this Ordinance is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 9. Effective Date

This Ordinance shall take effect on the date following adoption and publication as required by law.

 

BENZIE COUNTY CENTRAL SCHOOLS PROPOSALS

BENZIE COUNTY CENTRAL SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL

This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance.

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Benzie County Central Schools, Benzie, Manistee, Grand Traverse and Wexford Counties, Michigan, be increased by 2.5 mills ($2.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 4 years, 2026 to 2029, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2026 is approximately $66,662 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore that reduction)?

BENZIE COUNTY CENTRAL SCHOOLS SINKING FUND MILLAGE PROPOSAL

This proposal will allow the school district to replace the building and site sinking fund millage previously approved by the electors.

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in Benzie County Central Schools, Benzie, Manistee, Grand Traverse and Wexford Counties, Michigan, be increased by and the board of education be authorized to levy not to exceed .70 mill ($0.70 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 10 years, 2027 to 2036, inclusive, to replace the previously approved sinking fund millage with a sinking fund millage for the construction or repair of school buildings; for school security improvements; for the acquisition or upgrading of technology; for the acquisition of student transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used for the maintenance of student transportation vehicles; for the acquisition of eligible trucks and vans used to carry parts, equipment, and personnel for or in the maintenance of school buildings; for the acquisition of parts, supplies, and equipment used to maintain such trucks and vans; and all other purposes authorized by law; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2027 is approximately $942,243 (this is a replacement of millage that expires with the 2026 tax levy)?