MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI - Voters in Muskegon County will see millage requests, renewals and bond proposals on the election ballot on Tuesday, May 6. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Several school districts are seeking taxpayer support in upgrading and replacing buildings, while some municipalities are looking to either continue operating taxes or make more changes with increased taxes. See ballot proposals below that will be on the May 6 ballot: MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP - Muskegon Township asking voters to double their current public safety millage In a need for more funding, the Muskegon Township police and fire departments are asking voters to double their tax support by way of an increased millage. The department, like many agencies across the country, is facing staffing shortages, higher equipment prices and increased calls for service. The township has had a public safety millage of 2.6802 mills in place for the last 15 years. The millage expires this year. Now, the township is asking voters to approve an increased 10-year millage of 5.25 mills - doubling what the current millage is. RELEATED: Muskegon Township is asking voters May 6 to double their public safety taxes - mlive.com If approved, officials say voters would see an increase of: $11 per month for homes valued at $100,000$21 per month for homes valued at $200,000$32 per month for homes valued at $300,000 The township would raise approximately $2,736,000 in the first year if the new millage is approved. The public safety, fire and police departments’ budget for 2025 is approximately $4.7 million. The difference is paid by the township’s general fund. The additional funds could help hire more police officers and focused detectives in the township. Right now, patrol officers balance detective work on top of their normal caseload. It could also pay for three more firefighters and upgrades to the two township fire stations. - Muskegon Township asks voters to renew streetlight millage Muskegon Township is also asking voters to renew a millage that pays to keep the streetlights on. The township has levied .7 mills for years with voters supporting the measure in five-year periods to pay Consumer’s Energy to upgrade, maintain and operate the streetlights. The cost to homeowners is 70 cents for every $1,000 of taxable value. Officials say owners of a home valued at $100,000 would pay $70 per year for the millage. RELATED: Muskegon Township asking voters to renew street lighting millage If approved for another five years, the millage is estimated to raise $365,000 the first year. There are 1,242 streetlights in the township. The township is about halfway through replacing all their lights to LED bulbs. Michigan’s voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6. SCHOOL DISTRICTS - Mona Shores Public Schools requesting $80M for building upgrades Mona Shores Public Schools is requesting an $80 million, 30-year bond for upgrades to the district’s middle school, high school and performing arts center. The bond will not increase the current tax millage rate of 6.55 mills in the Norton Shores district, said Superintendent Bill O’Brien. RELATED: Mona Shores Public Schools requesting $80M for building upgrades on May 6 ballot The monies would allow work to begin on improvements at the secondary schools in the spring of 2026, extending building life spans and addressing outdated facilities. Currently, the middle and high school buildings have original foundations and tile work, windows and doors. The high school also has original electrical and plumbing, a lot of which was installed back in 1965. “We’ve been really good stewards of the community’s money, making these things last probably beyond their lifespan in some instances,” O’Brien said. District voters last approved a $93 million bond in 2018, which allowed the district to renovate its four elementary schools and make some updates to half of the middle school. Now, school leaders say voters have a great opportunity to keep the momentum going without raising the tax rate, allowing the district to make similar upgrades at its two secondary schools. - Muskegon Public Schools seeking millage renewal for critical upgrades Muskegon residents vote next week on whether to keep the public schools sinking fund millage rate for another 10 years. The sinking fund exists to keep Muskegon Public Schools facilities updated and as a rainy-day fund for emergency repairs, Superintendent Matthew Cortez said. If approved by voters, the sinking fund millage rate would remain at .9519 mill, or $0.95 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation, from 2026-2035. RELATED: Muskegon Public Schools seeking millage renewal May 6 for critical upgrades For a typical homeowner in Muskegon, that cost has been about $60-$100 per year based on property tax records, Cortez said. The estimated revenue the school district would collect in 2026 is approximately $750,195. The existing sinking fund has played a vital role in funding improvements for the district, including the recent renovation of the Muskegon High School auditorium. If renewed, the sinking fund will continue to help finance ongoing facility modernization, repairs and all other purposes authorized by law. One key future improvement is the continued replacement of windows across district buildings, starting with Muskegon High School, which is already underway. - Fruitport Community Schools asking voters to approve $82M bond request Fruitport Community Schools is asking voters to approve an $82 million bond request on the ballot. The school district plans to use the requested bond funds to make a number of improvements to the district such as constructing a new elementary school and soccer field. RELATED: $82M bond could fund new Fruitport elementary school, if approved by voters May 6 School leaders say supporting the bond would not result in a higher millage rate, emphasizing there would be no increase to the current 6.9 mills that the district levies from residents each year to pay down debt. A resident that has a home with $100,000 taxable value pays $690 annually under the current millage, officials said. This new bond proposal would levy those taxpayer funds as a credit for the school district to borrow money for the proposed improvements. If voters approve, a 30-year bond project will ensue, and the 6.9 mills will be used to pay off the money that the school district would be authorized to borrow to build the projects. There are 3,778 residents in Ottawa County religible to vote on the proposal - 2,133 voters in Crockery Township and 1,645 in Spring Lake Township. The bond would fund the following projects: Construction of a new Edgewood Elementary School Renovation of the old Edgewood Elementary into an Early Childhood CenterUpdates and renovations to Beach Elementary, Shettler Elementary and Fruitport Middle schoolsImprovements to barrier-free school playgroundsConstruction of a soccer field at Edgewood ElementaryPurchase of new transportation vehicles and school buses COUNTY-WIDE - Muskegon museum asking voters to approve millage increase The Muskegon County Lakeshore Museum Center is asking voters to approve a millage increase that would fund an expansion of the space and to make the museum more accessible for visitors. The new millage is asking for an additional .31 mills, over the course of 20 years for the county museum, located at 430 W Clay Ave. RELATED: Museum millage on May election ballot would cost Muskegon homeowners ‘a couple of pizzas’ The museum’s operations have been funded by a county-wide millage. It’s been set at 0.3 mills, has never been increased and has been approved for 10-year increments. The operating millage allows for admission to be free to county residents and school districts. If approved, a taxpayer with a $125,000-valued home would pay $38.75 more annually under the new millage. The millage is estimated to bring in an additional $1.9 million annually. The money would fund the expansion which would double the size of the collections space and make the museum more accessible to people with strollers or in wheelchairs. A new, accessible museum and exhibit space would be built next door in an adjacent lot, currently a grassy outdoor space and parking lot. The new build and the current museum would be connected. The new museum and archive center project would cost a total of $30 million, said Melissa Horton, executive director of the museum. Want more Muskegon-area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free “3@3 Muskegon” daily newsletter.