To: Board of County Commissioners
From: Joshua Freeman, Director of Administration
title
RE: Approval of a request to place a renewal question on the November 2026 ballot for the Genesee County Animal Care Millage
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Approval of a request to place a renewal question on the November 2026 ballot for the Genesee County Animal Care millage
BACKGROUND:
Genesee County has levied a millage for the operation of our Animal Care facility for many years. The operations for the facility are fully funded through this millage. The current millage is set to expire in 2027. Because there is no county-wide ballot in 2027, we are requesting that the renewal be placed on the November general election ballot this year.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
There will be no impact on Human Resources.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
Placing this millage on the ballot will provide budget certainty for the FYE 2028 budget.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
There will be no impact on Facilities.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
There will be no impact on Technology.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
The Board of County Commissioners have prioritized Health, Livable and Safe Communities. Genesee County is a vital piece in ensuring safe communities. Caring for abandoned and stray animals keeps them out of our community and helps to ensure the communities safety as well as the animals’ safety.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
WHEREAS, the Genesee County Animal Care Shelter provides valuable services to Genesee County residents and certain mandated functions; and
WHEREAS, prior to 2014, steadily decreasing revenues severely limited the County’s ability to support appropriate staffing, road patrol, and other functions of the Shelter; and
WHEREAS, in order to provide increased revenue to support the operating cost of the formerly named Genesee County Animal Control department, the electorate of Genesee County authorized the levy of a 0.2000 mill Genesee County Animal Control Shelter Millage on November 4, 2014, for the years 2014 through 2020, inclusive; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, the electorate of Genesee County authorized a renewal of the millage at a rolled-back rate of 0.1994 mill for the years 2021 through 2027, inclusive; and
WHEREAS, the authorization to levy the formerly named Genesee County Animal Control Shelter Millage renewal will expire at the end of 2027; and
WHEREAS, in 2026, the authorized levy rate was reduced to 0.1922 mill pursuant to MCL 211.34d; and
WHEREAS, in 2026, this Board of County Commissioners renamed and rebranded the department as Genesee County Animal Care; and
WHEREAS, this Board finds that there continues to be a need for this increased revenue to support the operating costs of Genesee County Animal Care as has been funded by the formerly named Genesee County Animal Control Shelter Millage.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the following question shall be submitted to a vote of the electorate of Genesee County, Michigan, on November 3, 2026, in a special election to be held in conjunction with the general election scheduled for that date:
GENESEE COUNTY MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL
FOR THE GENESEE COUNTY ANIMAL CARE SHELTER
Shall there be a renewal of the previously approved authorization of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners to levy a tax of 0.1922 ($0.1922 per $1,000.00 of taxable property valuation) upon the taxable valuation of the property within Genesee County, as finally equalized, for each of the seven (7) years from 2028 through 2034, inclusive, for the purpose of supplementing and supporting operations and modernization of the Genesee County Animal Care Shelter?
This is a renewal of the formerly named Genesee County Animal Control Shelter Millage that expires after the 2027 levy. The estimated revenue that will be collected during the first year this millage is authorized and levied is $2,710,105.
YES
NO
In Genesee County, there are local authorities that capture and use for authorized purposes tax increment revenues from property taxes levied by the County. Such captured revenue would include a portion of the proposed millage levy. The total amount of captured tax increment revenues from the proposed millage levy in the first calendar year of the levy is estimated to be $102,335. The following such local authorities presently are expected to capture and receive disbursement of a portion of the County’s property tax levy:
City of Clio Corridor Improvement Authority (“CIA”), Downtown Development Authority (“DDA”), and Neighborhood Improvement Authority (“NIA”); City of Davison DDA and Local Development Finance Authority (“LDFA”); City of Fenton DDA and LDFA; City of Grand Blanc DDA; City of Linden DDA; City of Montrose DDA; City of Swartz Creek DDA; Genesee County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank Authority; Davison Township DDA; Flint Township DDA, Beecher Road CIA, and Bristol Road CIA; Grand Blanc Township DDA; Mt. Morris Township Business Development Authority (“BDA”); Mundy Township Hill Road CIA; Vienna Township BDA; Village of Lennon DDA; Village of Otisville DDA; and Village of Otter Lake DDA.
Other such local authorities could be created in the future.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the preceding question is hereby certified to the County Clerk/Register and, through the County Clerk/Register, to the Board of Election Commissioners of Genesee County.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a special election is called for November 3, 2026, throughout Genesee County, for the purpose of submitting the above-stated ballot question to the electorate.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that notice of the aforesaid election and of registration shall be given, the ballots therefor shall be prepared, the election shall be conducted, and the results thereof shall be canvassed and certified, all as required by law, by the County Clerk/Register, the Board of Election Commissioners, the Board of County Canvassers, and other election officials.