September 17, 2020
This November, voters in Bay, Midland and Saginaw counties will have a proposal on the ballot to renew and restore a millage for Delta College.
The primary purpose of the proposal is to renew the current rate of 0.4864 mills funding and restore the 0.0136 mills of funding, which was originally approved by voters in 1990 prior to the Headlee Amendment rollback in 1993. The restoration will return the funding level to 0.5000 mills.
The November 3 ballot proposal will allow Delta to continue supporting programs and services that have benefited local students and the community for nearly 60 years. Revenue from the millage will provide important financial support for current and emerging instructional programs, workforce training, equipment updates and facilities maintenance.
“We are the community’s college, so responding to the needs of students and local employers is a top priority for us,” said Dr. Jean Goodnow, president of Delta College. “Now more than ever, Delta’s classes and programs are needed to help the region rebound and rebuild its economy following the economic downturn we’ve been experiencing.”
Taxpayers who own a $100,000 home will continue to annually pay $24.32 for the renewal. The restoration will add an additional 68 cents annually.
The ballot proposal is designed to continue supporting Delta’s work with students and the region:
- Delta’s impact on the local economy is $406.6 million.*
- 1 in 8 people in the region has taken a class at Delta.
- Nearly 1 in 3 area high school students chose Delta last year.
- More than 10,000 students attend annually.
- Tuition is $117 per contact hour for those living in Midland, Bay and Saginaw counties. This is less than half the cost of a university.
- 30 percent of students plan to transfer on to get their bachelor’s degrees.
- 83 percent of graduates stay in the Great Lakes Bay Region, 97 percent stay in Michigan.
- Delta offers classes at its Downtown Bay City Center and Planetarium, Downtown Saginaw Center and Downtown Midland Center, scheduled to open in early 2021.
For more information, visit delta.edu/millage.
*EMSI Economic Impact Study
Written by Leah Twilley, Communications Specialist.