In a low-turnout special election in the Lansing area, multiple tax proposals received voter support, while a non-homestead millage and an emergency services ballot issue failed.
Around 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, May 5, the First Presbyterian Church precinct at 510 W Ottawa St. had just 32 voters, said Sarah Wright, precinct chair.
Ingham County
A new special education facility may be coming to Lansing as early returns showed voters supporting a nearly $100 million bond proposal.
The ballot included an ask from the Ingham County Intermediate School District for a 20-year, 0.55 mill proposal to build a new Beekman Center in Lansing and bring upgrades to the Heartwood School in Mason. The two special education facilities service high-need students.
A little before midnight on Tuesday, May 5, unofficial votes were in from Clinton, Eaton and Livingston counties, and Ingham County had 25 of 75 precincts reported.
With a third of the vote in from Ingham County, the ISD was passing with 56% of ballots in support of the bond proposal. Factoring in results from other counties, the proposal was still passing 55% of nearly 38,000 votes supporting the request.
The Beekman Center first opened in 1968, years before school districts were required to offer special education services. The center was the brain child of the late Marv Beekman, who worked for the Lansing School District as the director of special education before earning a position working for the state.
The school was owned and operated by the Lansing School District until summer 2024, when the ISD took it over. Heartwood School opened in 1978.
With voter approval, the district would be able to borrow $99.96 million to build the new Beekman Center, demolish the current one and renovate the Heartwood School. Through the millage, a homeowner with a house with a taxable value of $100,000 would owe about $55 in taxes.
If approved, the millage will be paid by all property owners within the ISD’s 12 school districts in the ISD, which include Dansville, East Lansing, Haslett, Holt, Lansing, Leslie, Mason, Okemos, Webberville, Williamston, Stockbridge and Waverly.
The results were mixed between the various counties, with 55% of Eaton County voting no, while 56% of Clinton County voters checked yes.
Stockbridge Area Emergency Service Authority
An ask for a five-year, 2.5 mill proposal to support the Stockbridge Area Emergency Services Authority’s fire protection and emergency medical services was approved by voters. On the ballot in both Ingham and Jackson counties, 53% of ballots were marked yes.
The millage is expected to bring in an estimated $1.6 million in 2026, and would be used to provide, equip, operate and maintaining fire protection and emergency medical services in Stockbridge.
Grand Ledge Area Emergency Services Authority Bond Proposal
Voters in Eaton County denied a 20-year, $22.6 million bond proposal from the Grand Ledge Area Emergency Services Authority.
With 1,794 no votes and 1,223 ballots in favor, the authority was denied the chance to levy 3.04 mills from homeowners, which would bring in funds to acquire, construct, furnish and equip two new fire stations, including any necessary site improvements and attachments.
Through the millage, a homeowner of a residence with a taxable value of $100,000 would have had to pay about $304 a year.
Morrice Area Schools
Voters in Shiawassee and Ingham counties rejected a 10-year operating millage request from Morrice Area Schools with 53% of voters within the two counties voting no, according to the unofficial results published Tuesday night. The millage would have levied up to 18 mills on all non-homestead properties in the area from 2027 to 2036, and was expected to bring in a little less than $500,000 through the tax.
Carson City-Crystal Area Schools
Carson City-Crystal Area Schools is expected to levy a little more than $2 million after a six-year operating millage request passed after receiving 60% approval in the vote, according to unofficial results from Montcalm County. Through the request, the school will levy up to 18 mills on non-homestead properties.
Contact Karly Graham at kgraham@lsj.com. Follow her on X at @KarlyGrahamJrn.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Ingham ISD tax proposal passing in early returns
Reporting by Karly Graham, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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