2009 House Bill 4700 (Authorize school recreation property tax increase )

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Introduced by Rep. Kate Segal (D) on March 25, 2009, to give school districts the power to increase property taxes by up to 1 mill for 20 years to operate swimming pools, recreation centers, auditoriums, conference centers, and more as part of a "recreation authority." A school millage election would be required. The tax increase could be used to operate existing school facilities and programs.
- Referred to the House Education Committee on March 25, 2009.
  - Reported in the House on February 23, 2009, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass .
- Substitute offered in the House on April 30, 2009, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that requires school districts to post detailed spending reports ("check registers") on the internet every quarter in order to be eligible to impose the proposed tax increase. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on April 30, 2009.
- Amendment offered by Rep. James "Jase" Bolger (R) on April 30, 2009, to establish that school districts which levy a recreation millage under a separate Recreation and Playgrounds Act may not also levy the one-mill tax authorized by this law. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on April 30, 2009.
Passed in the House (68 to 41) on April 30, 2009, to give school districts the power to increase property taxes by up to 1 mill for 20 years to operate swimming pools, recreation centers, auditoriums, conference centers, and more as part of a "recreation authority." A school millage election would be required. The tax increase could be used to operate existing school facilities and programs. Senate Bill 222 does the same thing and passed the Senate 37-0. [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the Senate on May 5, 2009.
- Referred to the Senate Local, Urban, & State Affairs Committee on May 5, 2009.

Most Recent Comments

1) Re: 2009 House Bill 4700 (Authorize school recreation millages ) [by MichiganVotes.org Editor on May 11, 2009]

Previous descripton of Bolger amendment wrong.

The previous description stated that the amendment "canceled out" the transparency provisons in the House substitute. It did not. It instead prohibited a school district that already levies a recreation tax authorized under a separate statute from also levying a tax under this statute.

MichiganVotes apologizes to users and to Rep. Bolger for our error. In keeping with the Mackinac Center's guarantee of quality scholarship, the mistake was fixed as soon as it was brought to our attention.

Sincerely,

Editor

MichiganVotes.org

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2) Re: 2009 House Bill 4700 (Authorize school recreation millages ) [by inform4 on April 28, 2009]

Oh yes, please follow in lockstep with our Michigan Senate to allow more millages on our property taxes! Can you also tax the banks for this for all the foreclosed homes and property they are holding?

Laying more millages on seniors, or other property owners that don't have their kids involved in organized sports is ludicrous. We can't seem to properly educate the children in the three R's or to put a proper sentence together, "he goes, and she goes", instead of "he said, and she said", but we sure can afford to teach them how to run the bases. Can't we?

More property taxes will be a great help to those barely able to afford hanging onto their existing homes, especially with those who have lost their employment and those who are in line to suffer a similar fate.

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3) 2009 House Bill 4700 (Authorize school recreation millages ) [by admin on January 1, 2001]
Introduced in the House on March 25, 2009

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