Royal Oak Schools issued the following statement after voters approved the district's operating millage proposal on Tuesday's ballot:
“We want to thank the Royal Oak community for restoring and extending the non-homestead millage, which will allow us to continue providing a high quality education to all Royal Oak Schools students,” said Mary Beth Fitzpatrick, Royal Oak Schools superintendent. “This affirms the strong support of the school district by our community.“
“Our core mission is preparing all Royal Oak Schools students for their lives and jobs of the future and passage of this proposal will support our students, teachers and staff in carrying out this mission.”
Operating Millage Proposal
In November 2020, Royal Oak residents voted on an operating millage to restore and extend the authority of Royal Oak Schools to levy mills for general school district operating purposes.
It's never been more important to invest in Royal Oak Schools, and the operating millage proposal was essential for keeping our students, employees and families safe during the COVID-19 pandemic through supporting online learning as well as in-person learning.
The Facts:
The millage would raise approximately $23,015,998 in the first year. And this is without raising rates for homeowners over 2020 levels, instead it just extends the current authority and will not increase tax rates over current authorization. The portion of the authorization applicable to homeowners (capped at 3.4 mills) generates $851 per pupil for operating expenses. The balance of the authorization applies only to non-homestead properties (primarily those used for business, industrial and residential rental properties). The money the district receives from the Operating Millage supports the day-to-day operations of the school district, including salaries for teachers and staff, and represents approximately 46% ($23 million) of the overall General Fund budget.
This is a fiscally responsible proposal, and every dollar spent will be tracked to ensure transparency and accountability and that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.
"Without these millages the District would lose $4,220 in revenue per student of our $9,118 foundation allowance at the 2019-20 levels,” said Katherine Abela, Executive Director of Finance & Operations for Royal Oak Schools. “The loss of this funding would cause the District to make tough choices to reduce our budget, which may include program cuts, increased class sizes, staff layoffs, and/or service cuts.”
Tradition:
Royal Oak Schools has a proven track record of success inside and outside the classroom, and this proposal will allow us to build on that proud tradition of excellence and keep your home and property values high.
The Future:
The operating millage proposal will also help us prepare students for jobs, including in the skilled trades, and provide world-class programming for both special education and general education students.
Link to letter from Superintendent
Link to FAQ
