More millage election news

I already posted the top story from this report in Millage passes; Troy Public Library will stay open! Now the other results of last night's millage elections from the Detroit Free Press.

• Allen Park voters overwhelmingly rejected a Headlee override proposal to raise their taxes from 10.59 mills to 12.5 mills. Had it been approved, the measure would have raised about $1.8 million for the general fund. Last month, the City Council narrowly approved a $21-million budget that presumed the Headlee override would be successful. City Administrator Dave Tamsen said officials would have to look at other ways to replace the money if the measure failed.

• Center Line voters opted to tax themselves for police and fire, but not for school improvements. A 10-year, 7.5 mill tax increase won handily, whereas the plan to borrow $44.9 million for up to 30 years for a new elementary school, new athletic facilities and technology upgrades narrowly failed.

• Inkster...A proposal to borrow $20 million for 25 years to improve the city's sewer system narrowly failed.

• Livonia's charter amendment for a five-year, 1.7-mill tax for police and fire passed. The estimated revenue would be about $7 million in the first year. Another charter amendment to levy a 0.25-mill for senior services and the Greenmead Historical Village passed. The mill would raise about $1 million in the first year.

• Garden City voters passed, by six votes, a sinking fund millage that will pay for major repairs and renovations.

• In Madison Heights, Lamphere Public Schools passed a millage renewal and extended sinking fund millage.

I have only one thing to say about the Allen Park vote and the budget that was contingent on the millage passing--oops. The vote in Center Line is interesting--yes for protection, no for education. Since K-12 public education is being underfunded, I don't think that's a good thing. I think Inkster will be sorry they didn't fix the sewers. That's a disaster waiting to happen.

There were also primaries for municipal offices. Since those don't show the interplay between austerity and sustainability as directly as millage vote do, I'll just refer you to the Free Press article.