In just a few weeks, Midland, Mich., voters will be asked to decide whether or not to implement a $2.95 million increase in the current tax rate, and the Midland Public School System is making efforts to ensure that as many people as possible are aware of a Feb. 24 bond election.
If approved, the bond will mandate a tax increase that will be used to update aging school structures and to modernize the school’s learning environment and security systems.
The school system currently owns 18 school buildings, the youngest of which is 45 years old. The majority of the buildings are more than 50 years old and have never been significantly modernized, according to the Midland Daily News. The aging buildings are costly to maintain. In addition, they're a drag on utility bills due to poor energy efficiency. Moreover, none of the buildings has modernized security systems, which are all things the school system plans to remedy with the bond proposal.
If passed, the bond proposal and millage increase will serve as the foundation of a long-term plan to ensure that facilities are adequate for the next 12-15 years.
