Hudsonville Public Schools has two renewals on the November 3 ballot, and Jamestown Township has two millages that voters turned down in August by fewer than three percentage points.
Hudsonville: the operating levy
The first question renews the 18 mills Hudsonville levies on businesses, rental properties and vacation homes. Primary homes with the principal residence exemption are exempt, the district says. Hudsonville must levy the full 18 mills on eligible non-homestead property to receive its full per-student foundation funding, and the district says the state would not replace the lost local revenue if the renewal fails. The ballot language estimates about $9,560,000 in 2028.
The ballot asks for up to 19.6911 mills, which gives the district room to keep collecting the full 18 if the state's Headlee limits roll the rate back. The district cannot collect more than 18 mills under this levy; the rest of the authorization only protects against those rollbacks. The levy runs 2028 through 2032. Voters have approved it for 32 years, most recently in 2024.
Hudsonville: the sinking fund
The second question renews the 0.9709-mill sinking fund on all property, homes included, for 2028 through 2032. That is about $97 a year per $100,000 of taxable value, and about $2,740,000 for the district in 2028. Sinking fund money can go to building and repairing schools, security, technology and buying land for school sites (ballot language). Voters first approved it 28 years ago.
Both existing authorizations expire with the 2027 tax levy, and the renewals would cover 2028 through 2032. Voters in the Allegan County part of the district see both questions too.
Jamestown Township: roads and fire, again
In August, Jamestown voters rejected the township's road millage with 48.8 percent voting yes and a new fire millage with 49.4 percent yes, while renewing the existing fire millage and the library millage by wide margins (Ottawa News Network). The township board put the two that lost back on the November ballot.
The road question renews the current 1.4362 mills and restores it to 1.5 mills for 2027 through 2030 to improve secondary roads. That is $150 a year per $100,000 of taxable value, about $6 more than now, and about $1,163,000 in the first year. The fire question adds a new 0.30 mill for the same years for the operation of the Jamestown Township Fire Department: $30 a year per $100,000, about $233,000 in the first year (county proposal list). The ballot specifies fire department operations but does not list particular staffing or spending commitments.
A mill is $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. Use the taxable value printed on your property tax notice, which can be substantially lower than half your home's market value.
Where to vote early
Hudsonville city voters vote early at Allendale Township Hall, 6676 Lake Michigan Dr., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jamestown Township has its own site at the township hall, 2380 Riley St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jenison and the rest of Georgetown Township vote early at the Georgetown Township Hall, 1515 Baldwin St., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Early voting runs October 24 to November 1. Every Ottawa County voter also decides the Ottawa County parks increase. Your sample ballot at Michigan.gov/Vote shows exactly what is on yours, and the full lakeshore voting guide has dates, sites and the statewide races.
