Grand Traverse County and Traverse City

Proposals, November 2026

Authority

Bay Area Transportation Authority Millage Proposal

Shall the Bay Area Transportation Authority for Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties, Michigan, be authorized to levy annually an amount not to exceed .4589 mills ($0.46 per $1,000 of taxable value), a renewal of the .4788 mills reduced to .4589 mills under the Headlee Amendment, on taxable property within its jurisdiction for seven (7) years, 2028 through 2034, inclusive, to fund public transportation capital and operating expenses and provide transportation services for seniors and persons with disabilities? The estimated first year revenue is approximately $6,041,755.

By law, a portion of millage will be distributed to other governmental tax-capturing entities, including the Traverse City, Village of Kingsley, Village of Fife Lake and Interlochen Downtown Development Authorities and the Grand Traverse and Leelanau County Brownfield Redevelopment Authorities.

County



 911 PUBLIC SAFETY CALL ANSWERING AND DISPATCH SERVICES SYSTEM SURCHARGE BALLOT PROPOSAL

Shall Grand Traverse County be authorized to assess a charge of up to $3.00 per month against all landline, wireless, and voice over internet protocol service users located in Grand Traverse County for a period of ten (10) years beginning July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2037 for the exclusive purpose of financing facility, equipment, maintenance, and operating costs of Grand Traverse County 911 Public safety call answering and dispatch services? If this proposal is approved, then the current charge may be increased from $2.50 up to $3.00 per device, per month, which may represent an increase of up to $0.50 per device, per month.

Renewal and Restoration Proposal for the Grand Traverse Conservation District Millage

This proposal is for the purpose of renewing and restoring the previously approved .1 mill to support operations for the Grand Traverse Conservation District, including programs to assist landowners in the protection, enhancement, and restoration of natural resources, including invasive species control, assist agricultural producers in the protection of soil and water,

implementation of best management practices on farmland, continue restoration and protection of the Boardman-Ottaway River, and continue environmental stewardship education at the Boardman River Nature Center.

Shall the previously voted increase in the tax limitation on the total amount of taxes that may be levied against all taxable property within Grand Traverse County of up to and including .1 mill ($0.10 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to .0932 mills ($.0932 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed and restored in the amount of up to and including the original voted .1 mill ($0.10 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for 10 years, beginning 2026 through 2035, inclusive, on all taxable property within Grand Traverse County for the purpose of providing operating funds for the Grand Traverse Conservation District?

If approved and levied in full, the renewal millage will generate an estimated $871,492.00 in revenue to be disbursed to the Grand Traverse Conservation District when first levied in 2026. The estimated cost to a household owning a $100,000 property (SEV $50,000) would be $5 per year.

By law, tax increment revenues from this millage will be distributed to governmental units within Grand Traverse County that are entitled to receive a portion of captured property taxes, which are the City of Traverse City Downtown Development Authority, Grand Traverse County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Village of Kingsley Downtown Development Authority, Village of Fife Lake Downtown Development Authority, and Interlochen Downtown Development Authority.

Grand Traverse County Trails Millage

This proposal will invest in maintaining, improving, and expanding Grand Traverse County's network of non-motorized recreation and transportation trails and amenities, creating safer mobility opportunities, improving community health, outdoor recreation, economic vitality, and quality of life; and help secure and leverage significant state, federal, private, and grant investments for trail efforts throughout the County.

Shall Grand Traverse County levy a new tax of up to 0.3 mill ($0.30 per $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the County for a period of six (6) years, beginning in 2026 and ending in 2031, inclusive, for the maintenance, development, improvement, administration, and enhancement of recreation and transportation trails within Grand Traverse County?

If approved and levied in full, the millage would raise an estimated $2,635,012 when first levied in 2026. The owner of a property with a market value of $100,000 (taxable value of $50,000) would pay approximately $15 per year.

Pursuant to state law, a portion of the revenues collected from this millage may be captured by tax increment financing authorities, including the Grand Traverse County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the Village of Kingsley Downtown Development Authority, the Village of Fife Lake Downtown Development Authority, and the Interlochen Downtown Development Authority.

Traverse City

Traverse City City Proposal 1

The City Charter of the City of Traverse City provides that the City or City Commission shall not adopt or approve any proposal to create a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) plan, or to modify, amend or extend an existing TIF plan until such proposal is approved by a majority of city electors at a regular or special election held for that purpose. The City of Traverse City has received a recommendation to amend and extend a TIF plan from Traverse City Downtown Development Authority, which TIF plan is on the City Clerk’s web page and on file at the City Clerk’s Office and available for public inspection. The proposed amended and extended TIF district will remain the same and is generally described as being bound by the following streets and landmarks: Lake Michigan Shoreline, East Front Street, Railroad Avenue, Boardman Avenue, Washington, Cass, the Boardman/Ottaway River, and Gillis Street, with a projected total capture of $ 139,959,327, which is an estimate only, to be used for the purposes allowed under Michigan’s Tax Increment Financing Act.

Shall the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority Infrastructure First Development and Tax Increment Financing Plan, submitted by Traverse City Downtown Development Authority, be amended and extended to be in effect for a term of twenty (20) years beginning January 1, 2028, and ending December 31, 2047?

Link to TIF plan on Traverse City Clerk's webpage here.