White Pigeon Community Schools bond proposal will be decided by voters

Can White Pigeon Community Schools borrow up to $2,060,000 and issue tax bonds for school improvements? That will be decided by voters in seven St. Joseph County and Cass County townships.

The general obligation unlimited tax bond proposal will be decided Tuesday, November 5. It’s on the ballot in Constantine, Florence, Mottville, Sherman, and White Pigeon Townships, St. Joseph County, and Mason and Porter Townships, Cass County. In Constantine Township, it’s only on ballots in the first precinct.

“If approved, the ballot proposal would allow the district to sell bonds in the amount of $2.06 million with a 0.85-mill net increase over the current tax rate.  This would return the levy to the 0.85 mill levy that was in place in 2023,” according to the school district’s frequently asked questions.

White Pigeon Community Schools says revenue would be used for:

• partially remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing, and equipping and re-equipping school buildings
• acquiring and installing instructional technology and instructional technology equipment for school buildings
• purchasing school buses
• preparing, developing, equipping, and improving the stadium site

“The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2025 is 0.85 mill ($0.85 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation),” ballots state. “The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is five (5) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 0.85 mill ($0.85 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).”

Ballots also state that the school district does not expect to borrow from the State of Michigan to pay debt service on the bonds.

“The total amount of qualified bonds currently outstanding is $0. The total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is $0. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances,” ballots state.

White Pigeon Community Schools also has information about mills.

“One mill equals $1 per $1,000 of tax assessed value of a property,” the district wrote. “Tax assessed value is approximately half of the market value of a property. For example:

• A home with a market value of $200,000 would have a tax assess value of about $100,000
• For a rate of 0.85, $100,000 x .00085 = $85 per year, or $7.08 per month
• Homeowners can refer to their latest tax statement for their home’s tax assessed value

White Pigeon currently has a debt millage of 0.00, compared to 2.85 for Edwardsburg, 4.15 for Colon, 4.70 for Constantine, 4.90 for Three Rivers, 7.00 each for Centreville and Sturgis, and 8.00 for Mendon, according to White Pigeon Community Schools.

Frank Stanko is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.