If passed, the $1.75 million levy would generate more than $7.5 million over five years.
Tecumseh, MI — On Tuesday, Tecumseh voters will decide whether to approve a levy that will generate more than $7.5 million for the city’s public school district, which officials say will pay for repairs, maintenance and improvements to school facilities. It is said that it will be used.
Most Tecumseh residents WTOL 11 spoke to Downtown said they support the 1.75 million levy.
“I have never voted in favor of proposed school lunch fees,” resident Philip Schadler said.
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Schadler said determining future levies for Tecumseh Public Schools was easy, especially because his children were students in the district.
“As far as I know, the school hasn’t done anything other than improve it. If voting for pastoral fees allows us to do that, I’m all for it,” he said.
One resident in downtown Tecumseh said he was undecided about the levy because he didn’t know much about it.
District Superintendent Matt Hilton hopes to educate voters in the remaining days before Tuesday’s election. He said the district has struggled to pass levies in the past and recently issued two bonds in 2022 to build another elementary school.
The school district has since consolidated, closed two middle schools, and cut about 10 staff members.
“Since then, we have listened to community feedback, made some decisions to really prioritize our needs, and returned to our sinking fund efforts,” Hilton said.
Hilton said the sinking fund levy allows the district to pay for repairs and improvements in cash without collecting on debt.
He said if the levy passes, the district school board will also set aside 3% of its annual budget for building repairs, which would bring in an additional $750,000.
Hilton said the district plans to use some of the money to repair the school’s roof and repair the community pool, which has been under repair for years.
“It’s not fun, but it has to be done,” he said.
For a home with a taxable value of $75,000, the cost to property owners would be $131.25 per year, according to the district.
Schaedler said he thinks that’s a small price to pay.
“If school fees were part of the property tax bill, that would be fine,” Schadler said.
Hilton said if the levy fails, a tax cut could be possible.
