I urge people to vote "yes" on the sinking fund millage of about 2.4 mils. Since the passage of Proposal A in 1994, school funding moved from local control to a system dominated by state control. This move was prompted by the large per pupil spending gaps between wealthy and poor districts. Educational opportunity for Michigan children was not equal. While the gaps have decreased and equity has improved, school funding has not kept up with inflation and the wealthier districts like Ann Arbor are being squeezed down. This funding change applied to all public schools, so funding for community colleges and universities also comes out of this fund. Among the states, Michigan school funding has dropped from the top ten to about 25th. Unsurprisingly, Michigan student performance has fallen as well.
Districts are allowed to levy up to 3 mils for sinking fund monies. These funds can only be used for certain things--such as replacing boilers and building improvements. Without sinking fund monies, those boilers and other building repairs will have to come out of the general fund. General fund monies can be used for many more things, but about 80% of them are used for salaries. The sinking fund currently makes up about 10% of Ann Arbor's budget and its loss would severely impact students and teachers. The AAEA supports passage of the sinking fund.
The following excerpt comes from the Ann Arbor Citizens Millage Committee
Ann Arbor Public School voters will be asked to approve a renewal of the AAPS Sinking Fund millage, for another 10 years. This renewal does not increase the tax rate at all (or even restore it to what voters approved ten years ago) and will provide regular funding for major repairs and renovations of AAPS facilities. Without this funding, these repairs would have to come out of the General Fund (which we use to pay teachers and operate schools) or else be deferred until the problems become too large. The ongoing revenue source also allows the district to make those repairs without going into debt or waiting many years for another construction bond program.
As anyone who has lived in an old house or building knows, there’s always something. The sinking fund has repaired heating boilers, deteriorated concrete loading docks, leaky school roofs, and many other important but unglamorous projects. The Sinking Fund has also been used to make investments in renewable energy, helping to fund solar installations at several schools and build the infrastructure to support the district’s growing number of electric buses.
For more information on the millage and what it has done, please visit the Sinking Fund page on the AAPS website.