Oakland County voters narrowly turned down a regional school enhancement millage, with 51% of voters saying "no" to 49% "yes" in unofficial results.
The final tally, which arrived shortly before 9 a.m. Aug. 5, showed a fewer than 7,000-vote difference.
The measure had proposed 1.5 mills for six years on taxpayers countywide, and would have raised nearly $126 million in the first year.
James Parks, a 68-year-old voter in Auburn Hills, voted against the school millage.
"I voted 'no' because I don't have kids in school," he said. "Why pay for another tax that doesn't benefit me?"
Gary Skrzycki, 64, who helped defeat police and fire millagesin Orion Township, also voted "no" on the countywide school millage, noting that public schools enrollment is declining
with a population decrease.
"It's not people's responsibility to pay for every activity and whim," he said.
The funds in the proposal would have been collected by the Oakland Intermediate School District and distributed on an equal per-pupil basis, about $781 per student, among all 28 public school districts in the county. There are approximately 175,000 K-12 students in Oakland County.
Each school district was to have determined how to best use the funds, with options including adding staff to reduce class sizes, increasing teacher salaries to attract talent to districts, enhanced programming for students and added safety and security measures.
In an emailed statement, Oakland Schools Superintendent Kenneth Gutman said, "We respect the election's outcome and the will of Oakland County voters. We appreciate everyone who took the time to participate in the democratic process and remain committed to supporting our local school districts and the students they serve.”
In Michigan, eight counties currently levy school enhancement millages, including Wayne, Macomb, Kalamazoo, Kent, Midland, Monroe, Muskegon and Ottawa.
In previously advocating for putting the measure on the ballot, Huron Valley Superintendent Paul Salah said, "Voters need to know their children are not given the same opportunities as counties contiguous to us."
South Lyon Community Schools Superintendent Steve Archibald said on Wednesday he appreciated the boards of education across the county that supported putting the millage before the voters.While disappointed in the outcome, Archibald said was thankful for everyone who exercised their right to vote while acknowledging the additional financial challenge the defeat presents to a district struggling to manage rising costs.“We will do what we always do, which in any given year, we are working to maximize revenues and reduce expenditures where we can," Archibald said. "We will have to look at the impact of this on our budget going forward including staffing, class sizes, support services and curriculum and continued investment in safety and security."He added that due to the closeness of the vote, he would not be surprised to see an attempt to return to voters with a new request in the near future, as the need for additional fund dollars isn't going away.
Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@hometownlife.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Oakland County regional school enhancement millage fails in close vote
