Sinking Fund & Operating Millage

The election will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. The polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Absentee ballots are available 40 days before the election.

Early voting will also be available for this election.

An Operating Millage is regulated by Michigan law and is a voter-approved non-homestead (only businesses, second homes, etc.) property tax that provides annual funding for the daily operation of schools, including instructional programs, staff salaries, student supports, transportation, and essential operating costs.

It is a non-homestead tax, not a property tax on Avondale residents' primary homes.

A Sinking Fund Millage is regulated by Michigan law. School districts can ask their community to vote on a property tax (Sinking Fund Millage) to raise money annually strictly for the following purposes: construction and repairs to school facilities, school security improvements, technology and other capital items, or school buses.

No, this is a renewal of the existing millages. There will be zero tax increase as a result of renewing either millage. The sinking fund and operating millages have been levied in Avondale School District since .

Operating millages and sinking funds are long-standing, voter-approved revenue sources that are renewed every 10–20 years, and both are now up for renewal. These funds pay for specific, ongoing needs that would otherwise come directly from the district’s general fund. Without them, the district would be forced to divert general fund dollars away from classrooms and student services, reducing opportunities for students and staff and increasing the risk of costly, unplanned facility or transportation expenses.

While voters recently approved the 2024 bond, bond dollars are legally restricted to the projects outlined on the ballot and cannot be used for other needs. The 2024 bond focuses on major construction and renovation projects, including a new early childhood center; expansions at R. Grant Graham Elementary; redesigned elementary playgrounds; and improvements to the Adult Learning Center, Performing Arts Center, and athletic facilities.

Renewing the operating millage and sinking fund ensures the district can continue to support daily school operations, maintain and care for existing and newly improved facilities, and protect instructional programs—allowing the bond projects to succeed without straining the general fund out into the future.

Facility repairs, transportation (such as school buses) and replacing needed technology can take up a significant portion of a school district's operating budget, limiting what they can spend on educational program costs such as teachers, textbooks and other teaching materials. Many school districts utilize a sinking fund to create a separate revenue source to address these facility and capital needs, but not at the expense of educational programs.

Educating students requires significant ongoing funding for teachers, instructional materials, student supports, transportation, and daily school operations. State funding alone often does not cover the full cost of providing these essential services. All school districts rely on an operating millage to supplement state funding so they can maintain educational programs, support students, and operate schools without reducing opportunities or services. 

The state requires communities to levy at least 18 mills on non-homestead properties to realize the full foundation allowance for per-pupil funding. Without its renewal, the state reduces the amount per pupil the district receives in state allocations, thus impacting programs and services to students.

The Sinking Fund would renew for 10 years, while the Operating Millage would renew for 20 years.

In recent years, the sinking fund has been used for:

• Roofing repairs
• Site work such as drain grading and parking lot improvements
• Emergency repairs such as boiler replacement and water main breaks
• Safety and Security improvements
• Replacement of some exterior doors

Sinking fund dollars protect and preserve school facilities—repairing roofs, maintaining heating and electrical systems, upgrading safety and security features, and ensuring school buildings remain safe, functional, and well-maintained for students and staff.

The district's operating millage has been used for:

• Teacher and staff salaries and benefits
• Classroom instruction, curriculum, and learning materials
• Student support services (counseling, special education, mental health)
• Transportation and daily school operations
• School safety and security measures
• Technology and instructional software
• Academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular programs

Operating millage funds keep schools running every day—paying the people who teach and support students, maintaining safe and functional buildings, operating buses, and providing the programs and services students need to learn and succeed.

The district is seeking to renew the existing sinking fund and operating millage, so tax rates will remain the same. There would be no increase to taxes for residents.

If the millages are rejected, the district would be forced to redirect general fund dollars to cover critical infrastructure, security, technology, and transportation needs. This shift would require difficult decisions that could reduce academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular opportunities for students. Non-critical repairs would continue to be deferred, increasing long-term costs. The district may also be unable to maintain competitive wages or provide the programs and learning opportunities needed to attract and retain quality staff and new students.