5-02-2023 8:38pm

ELECTION 2023: Voters Overwhelmingly Support Saline Area Schools Millage Renewal Proposal

Voters have overwhelmingly approved the Saline Area Schools homestead millage renewal proposal.

With 100 percent of the precincts counted, more than 73 percent of the voters chose to support the district's 10-year renewal of the 21.8508-mill levy on property within the district other than principal residences and other property exempted by law. For the most part, this millage is levied against commercial and industrial property.

The millage is estimated to be worth about $8.5 million to the district in 2024. Failure to approve the millage would have cost the district about 13 percent of its annual day-to-day operating budget. School district officials were obviously grateful to avoid that fate.

Superintendent Stephen Laatsch thanked the community for its support.

"I would like to thank the community for their overwhelming support of this most recent operating millage. This is a very important part of how schools are funded in Michigan. We are very appreciative of our strong partnership with the Saline Area Schools' community," Laatsch said.

The Board of Education unanimously voted to put the proposal on the ball. School Board President Michael McVey expressed gratitude to the voters.

"On behalf of the Saline Area Schools Board of Education, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who supported today’s millage renewal," McVey said. "We are incredibly grateful for your continued support of one of the best school districts in Michigan. This renewal will allow us to maintain the highest level of services and programs that you and your children rely on and deserve. Thank you, once again, for your support."

Here are the results

PRECINCT NAME	Yes	No
City of Saline, Precincts 1 & 2	633	143
City of Saline, Precincts 3 & 4	476	218
Bridgewater Township, Precinct 1	21	21
Freedom Township, Precinct 1	6	6
Lodi Township, Precincts 1 & 2	602	297
Pittsfield Charter Township, Precinct 8	190	68
Pittsfield Charter Township, Pct 11 & 12	824	236
Saline Township, Precinct 1	182	95
York Township, Precincts 2 & 3	592	203
Totals	3526 73.26%	1287 26.74%

Results by precinct:

	Yes %	No %	Turnout	Ballots Cast
City of Saline 1 & 2	81.57	18.43	22.6	776
City of Saline 3 & 4	68.59	31.41	16.24	694
Bridgewater Township	50	50	14.84	42
Lodi Township 1 & 2	66.96	33.04	22.2	900
Freedom Township	50	50	26.09	12
Pittsfield Township 8	73.64	25.36	22.07	258
Pittsfield Township 11 &12	77.74	22.26	21.72	1063
Saline Township	65.7	34.3	14.68	278
York Township 2 & 3	74.47	25.53	20.32	797

Best Turnout: Freedom Township, where 12 of 46 registered voters cast ballots. Or 26.09 percent.

Best Non-Freedom Township Turnout: Saline Precincts 1 & 2, with 22.6 percent turnout.

Lowest Turnout: Saline Township with 14.68 percent.

Highest Yes Vote %: Saline Precincts 1 & 2, 81.57 percent.

Highest No Vote %: Bridgewater and Freedom Townships, 50 percent each.

Highest Non-Freedom/Bridgewater No Vote: Saline Township at 34.3 percent.

Here's what results in 2023 looked like compared to 2013, the last time the millage was renewed.

	2023			2013
	Yes %	No %	Turnout	Yes %	No %	Turnout
City of Saline 1 & 2	81.57	18.43	22.6	80.64	19.36	18.66
City of Saline 3 & 4	68.59	31.41	16.24	83.55	16.45	17.6
Bridgewater Township	50	50	14.84
Lodi Township 1 & 2	66.96	33.04	22.2	74.81	25.19	18.85
Pittsfield Township 8	73.64	25.36	22.07
Pittsfield Township 11 &12	77.74	22.26	21.72
Saline Township	65.7	34.3	14.68	66.96	33.04	15.66
York Township 2 & 3	74.47	25.53	20.32	75.71	24.29	19.66