Operating Millage Information

Welcome to the Constantine Public Schools Operating Millage Information Page

On July 14, 2025, our Board of Education approved a resolution to submit a proposal that will be on the November 4, 2025 ballot.

Most Michigan school districts are required to levy 18 mills on non-homestead properties to receive their full foundation allowance from the state of Michigan, a funding source for Michigan schools. If approved by the voters, this millage proposal would allow the school district to restore the operating millage to the original statutory maximum rate of 18 mills though 2032.

Important Ballot Proposal Details

Here is what the ballot language will look like:

Proposal Title: Constantine Public Schools Operating Millage Proposal

Ballot Language:

"This proposal will restore the school district's authorized operating millage rate to 18 mills, for operating purposes on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its full foundation allowance permitted by the State and allow the district to levy the statutory limit of 18 mills on non homestead property in the event of future Headlee rollbacks of up to 1.2441 mills.

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 Constantine Public Schools, St. Joseph and Cass Counties, Michigan, be increased by 2.5 mills ($2.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) resulting in the school district having a total authorized operating millage rate of 19.2441 mills ($19.2441 on each $$1,000 of taxable valuation), of which the school district can levy a maximum of 18 mills, for a period of 8 years, 2025 to 2032, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and 1.2559 mills of the 2.5 mills are levied in 2025 is approximately $175,571 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the "Headlee" amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963, and will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore that reduction)?

What does this mean?

The millage proposal asks voters to consider whether to restore the operating millage to the original statutory maximum rate of 18 mills through 2032; The millage is currently at 16.7441

The State of Michigan requires school district's (local government) to reduce the millage rate when property values grow faster than the rate of inflation. Property values have increased beyond the rate of inflation over the past few years, which has reduced the millage rate.

The Impact:

The State of Michigan does not take into account the reduction when calculating state aid and assumes every school district is collecting the full 18 mills. The 18 mill value is then deducted from our state aid before funding is sent to the district. Without this operating millage we would lose more than $800,000 in funding over the next 5 years.

The Fix:

The only way to fix it is to go back to the voters to approve restoring 18 mills.

If approved by voters, this proposal would restore the 18 mill levy on non-homestead properties, with a current restoration of 1.2559 mills.

Proactively, Constantine Public Schools is proposing to add a 2.5 mill cushion. This would allow the district to maintain 18 mills over the next eight years, as long as the operating millage does not reduce more than 2.5 mills.

The operating millage only applies to non-homestead properties, which include businesses, vacation (2nd) homes, investment properties, and rental properties.

Homesteads (primary homes/residences) are exempt from this tax. The 18 mill levy does not cost the primary residence homeowners anything.

This is not a new millage. Constantine Public School voters have been periodically voting on this operating millage since its inception in 1994.

What a YES vote means:

A YES vote would allow Constantine Public Schools to levy the required mills and have 2.5 mills to protect against future reductions.
A YES vote would get Constantine Public Schools back to 18 mills - back to full per pupil funding.
A YES vote is NOT a tax on your primary residence. Homesteads (primary homes/residences) are exempt from the millage.

What a NO vote means:

A NO vote would reduce state funding Constantine Public School receives.
A NO vote means Constantine Public Schools could lose more than $300,000 in state funding over the next five years.

FAQs:

What is a millage?

In the State of Michigan, the property tax rate is referred to as a millage and the tax rate is calculated in mills. A mill is the number of dollars a property owner must pay for each $1,000 assessed property value.

Property taxes are computed by multiplying the Taxable Value of the property by the number of mills levied, where a mill is 1/1000 of a dollar.

For example, if the millage rate is 1 mill and the taxable value of your property is $100,000 the property tax is 0.001 x $100,000 or $100.

What are the specific benefits of this millage to Constantine Public Schools?

The current millage is at 16.7441 mills, why is the ballot proposal for 2.5 mills when you only need 1.2559 mills?

Is this a new tax?

How are the State of Michigan school districts funded?

Districts receive most of their funding on a per-student/pupil basis. The amount a school district receives per pupil is called the Foundation Allowance. The per-pupil Foundation Allowance for Constantine Public Schools was $9,608 in 2024/2025 school year. This represents a significant portion of Constantine Public Schools' overall revenue and is funded from 2 different sources: 1) Local Revenue - Operating Millage collected on non-homestead property, and 2) State Revenue.

By law, Constantine Public Schools would need to collect an 18 mills local "non-homestead" operating millage for this portion of its budget to obtain the full Foundation Allowance.

What can Operating Millage funds be used for?

Operating Millage funds in a school district can be used for day-to-day operating expenses, such as: curriculum materials, programs for students, classroom supplies, salaries, benefits, utilities, transportation, building maintenance, athletic programs.

The money a school district receives from operating millages is a main source for funding day-to-day operations for State of Michigan public schools.

In Michigan, the vast majority of school districts can levy no more than 18 mills for school operating purposes.

Why is the vote necessary?

How is the 18 mill non-homestead operating millage renewal different from a bond millage?

A bond millage is used explicitly for capital improvements such as renovation, equipment, site improvements, buildings, and additions. Bond dollars cannot be used for the District's general operations. The 18 mill non-homestead operating millage restoration is specific to the general operations of the District. If the operating millage proposal is not approved it would mean a loss of funding to our school district. The state will not make up this revenue if the voters do no approve the proposal.

Is this a bond?

What is a tex levy?

Voter Information:

What time are the polls open on November 4, 2025?

The election polls will open at 7:00am and close at 8:00pm on Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Click https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/ to:

View Sample Ballott

Get Absentee Ballott

Find where to Vote

Contact Information: For any questions regarding the proposal or voting process, please contact us at [email protected]

Thank you for taking the time to learn about this important proposal.

Vote: November 4, 2025

Paid for by: Constantine Public Schools, One Falcon Drive, Constantine, MI 49042

District Events

Sep 15, 2025
- No School for Students - Staff Training
Sep 22, 2025
- Board of Education Regular Meeting - 6 pm - 7 pm (Constantine High School - Media Center, 1 Falcon Dr, Constantine, MI 49042, USA)
Oct 1, 2025
- Student Count Day
Oct 13, 2025
- No School - Fall Break
Oct 20, 2025
- Board of Education Regular Meeting - 6 pm - 7 pm (Mason Twp Hall, 17049 US-12, Edwardsburg, MI 49112, USA)

View All District Events

Check out this incredible video created by our Digital Media Marketing Class on the District's Operating Millage Proposal for the November 5, 2024, ballot!

DMM Project - Operating Millage Video