Trending
ALCONA COUNTY – Voters in Alcona County voted to approve a pair of millage requests during Tuesday's primary election. The tax funds will be used to fund the Alcona County Library and local law enforcement.
ALCONA COUNTY LIBRARY OPERATING MILLAGE
The Alcona County Library operating millage passed in a vote of 2147 to 1412.
The millage is a 10-year renewal. The previous operating millage expired on Dec. 31, Denise Bearre, Alcona County Library director, said. It was an eight year millage set at .5 mills. If renewed, the millage would increase by .25 mills.
A millage of .75 mills would mean that a house with a taxable value of $50,000 would owe $37.50 in taxes annually.
Bearre told The News in July that a renewal of the operating millage would be used to update aging HVAC systems of the three buildings that the library owns. The library has five branches total in Harrisville, Caledonia, Curtis Township, Lincoln, and Mikado.
She also said that the renewal would be used to continue paying staff a good wage.
ALCONA COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT MILLAGE
The Alcona County law enforcement operating millage passed in a vote of 2102 to 1455.
The millage is a new 1.5 mill, six-year tax levy to fund law enforcement operations.
A 1.5 mill levy means that the owners of property with a taxable value of $50,000 will see their property tax bill climb by about $75 annually. The levy is expected to bring in a revenue of approximately $1.5 million per year. It will be a new tax levy for Alcona County residents and not a renewal.
Alcona County Sheriff Scott Stephenson said that the millage will primarily be used to bring the sheriff’s office to full staff. He said he has been operating with a staff of 10 to 11 deputies the past few years. Ideally, he would like to have 14 deputies.