We can take away at least one source of controversy from future school bond and millage votes in Michigan.
The February election option is dead given legislation signed into law by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder last week. School elections may still take place in May and August as well as November.
The Grosse Pointe communities experienced this controversy last year when the tech bond proposal came before voters in February. It was controversial for other reasons including the $50 million price tag, its “one-to-one computing” philosophy, and the association of the technology initiative with former superintendent, Dr. Thomas Harwood.
Nevertheless, the tech bond rejection is historic now not just for its decisive margin of defeat (70% / 30%), but it was the last time a GPPSS election will have occurred in February.
Lawmakers cited voter turnout as the primary motivation for the new law. Recent voting patterns in the GPPSS support this rationale.
Technically if the district filed for a February election by the July 31 deadline this year they could beat enactment of this bill. No definitive statement has been made by district officials indicating plans for a new tech bond, although some parties have lobbied the district to pursue another tech bond.