Montague Area Public Schools issued the following announcement on Apr 12.
Strong Schools are at the heart of our community.
They are places where community members gather for athletic events and musical and theatrical performances. Strong Schools ignite bright futures and foster thriving communities. But most of all, Strong Schools are places of learning — where students discover their passions for the future.
Providing educational services to students with physical, emotional, or mental disabilities is mandated by state and federal law and it is the right thing to do; it makes our schools and community stronger. But these services are not fully funded by state and federal sources. Every year, our district has to spend over $1.12 million general fund dollars to fill the gap left by local, state, and federal sources. Countywide, this gap was $20.3 million dollars last year in 2020-21.
To reduce this gap, the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District is the only entity legally able to ask countywide voters to approve a property tax increase of 1.75 mills for ten years to fund special education. If approved by voters on May 3, this increase will be the first increase in 40 years and will cost the owner of a $200,000 home ($100,000 assessed value) $175 annually. Every penny raised will go directly to local schools, not the Muskegon Area ISD.
Original source can be found here.
