The Gist
Home

Ballot question

Birmingham Public Schools: $240,000,000 school facilities and safety bond

On the ballot in
Birmingham City School District
Vote
Yes or no
Election
Nov 3, 2026

The question, as printed on the ballot

State of Michigan Shall the Birmingham Public Schools, County of Oakland, State of Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Two Hundred Forty Million Dollars ($240,000,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds, in one or more series, for the purpose of paying for the cost of the following projects:- Enhancing school safety and security, including security camera systems, an emergency notification system, emergency radios, backup generators, and fire alarms; - District-wide heating and cooling improvements, playground improvements addressing accessibility for students with disabilities and remodeling, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing, re-furnishing school buildings and other facilities, including the upgrade and expansion of the Midvale Early Childhood Center; - Acquiring and installing instructional technology infrastructure and equipment, including career and technical education equipment, in school buildings and other facilities; and - Erecting and completing additions to and preparing, developing, and improving sites at school buildings and other facilities and the purchase of school buses? The annual debt millage required to retire all bonds of the School District currently outstanding and proposed pursuant to this Proposal is expected to remain at or below 3.80 mills which is a 0.00 mill increase from the annual debt millage levied in 2026. The maximum number of years any series of bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than twenty (20) years; the estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 0.84 mills (which is equal to $0.84 per $1,000 of taxable value); and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire each series of bonds is 1.30 mills annually ($1.30 per $1,000 of taxable value). (Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, repair or maintenance costs or other operating expenses.)

A “Yes” vote means

A yes vote lets Birmingham Public Schools borrow up to $240,000,000 for safety, heating and cooling, renovations, technology, additions and buses; estimated 0.84 mill in the first year.

A “No” vote means

A no vote rejects the bond.

Sources

The question and plain English statement are copied word for word from official election materials. The Gist does not take a side on ballot questions.