Proposed Street Millage for the City of St. Johns
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many mills are being requested and for how long?
Answer: 4 Mills for four years
2. What would the millage be used for?
Answer: The use of the funds collected from a levy of the millage would be limited to maintaining and repairing streets in the City of St. Johns. By law, the funds could not be used for any other purpose.
3. How much money would be raised by a levy of the millage?
Answer: Approximately $806,000 per year, or approximately $201,500 for each mill levied.
4. How much money will I have to pay on my property?
Answer: The millage would be levied on all real estate & business personal property based upon the taxable value of the property as determined by the City Assessor each year. With regards to residences owned by City residents, the 4 mills would be levied upon the taxable value of each residence beginning in the summer of 2014. For a residen,al home with a taxable value of $30,000 the tax would be $120 per year; for a home with a taxable value of $50,000 the tax would be $200; for a home with a taxable value of $100,000 the tax would be $400. Your taxable value is located on your most recent tax bill.
5. Will I be able to deduct this tax when I file my Federal and State Income Tax Return?
Answer: Yes
6. What streets will be repaired if the proposal passes?
Answer: The City currently has 22 miles of streets which are rated as poor and in need of immediate repair. Unfortunately, no single levy of the street millage in any given year would be sufficient to fix all of the poor streets. This leaves approximately 20 miles of streets which are in fair or good condition. The poor streets were selected based upon condition and frequency of use.
7. What type of repairs will be made?
Answer: With limited funds, the City Commission has decided to conduct what is referred to as a heavy maintenance program, which is a mill and fill of the streets with some drainage improvements and curb replacement being made
where needed.
8. Does the City receive monies from the State or Federal Government to assist in the repair of its streets?
Answer: Monies from the Federal Government are not expected. The City receives approximately $500,000 from the State each year pursuant to Act 51, which is a legislative act that has been in effect for a number of years. This money pays for the ongoing maintenance and snow removal of your streets. These monies are not sufficient to support a heavy maintenance program. It’s not expected that new monies will be appropriated by the State Legislature for street repairs.
9. Are there any grants available?
Answer: Unfortunately grants for City street repair are no longer available or are limited. If a grant were received, the City would have to match a portion of the grant with City monies from its general fund equal to 50% or more of the total grant. The City will continue to obtain grants when available.
10. How does the total millage levied for the City compare with other communities of approximate size?
Answer: For many years, the City of St. Johns has levied less millage than all of its neighboring communities. Currently St. Johns levies 11.1737 mills for all City opera,ons, includes General Operations, Act 359, Garbage Disposal and Library.
Some of the neighboring communities levied the following millage for the past year: Mason 14.81; Dewitt 13.4988; Grand Ledge 15.4035; Charlo@e 16.1713 and Alma 20.4664 (includes 2.5 mill levy for streets).
11. What millage elections have been held in the past to raise funds to repair our streets?
Answer: There have been two elections in the past. The first was in 2004 to approve the issuance of general obligation bonds totaling $10,500,000 and a 3 mill levy over 25 years to pay for the bond & an approximate 3 mill levy for maintenance and repair of the streets. Both the bond issue and the ongoing street millage failed.
In 2005 the City sought approval for the issuance of general obligation bonds totaling $14,265,000 together with an approximate 3 mill levy to pay for the bonds. This election also failed.
For further information or to see a larger view of the map please visit City Offices, 1st Floor inside the Clinton County Courthouse or the Briggs Public Library, 108 E. Railroad St. or visit www.cityofsaintjohnsmi.com.
12. Since the 2004 and 2005 election, what has the City done to raise funds to repair our streets?
Answer: First the City reduced staff to save approximately $300,000 per year and has used those funds to repair streets. Secondly, the City received grants, which required matching funds from the City’s general fund and/or fund balance in order to implement the grants. Thirdly, the City has used fund balance in order to conduct mill and fill repairs
13. If the millage is passed, when will repairs begin on the streets on the map?
Answer: Repairs will begin in the summer of 2014. The repairs outlined in the answer to question 6 above should be completed in 4 years or 2018.