HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION W

 

September 12, 2007, Introduced by Rep. Young and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.

 

     A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state

 

constitution of 1963, by amending section 31 of article IX, to

 

limit the application of the requirement for a millage rollback

 

under certain circumstances.

 

     Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

 

state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state

 

constitution of 1963, to limit the application of the requirement

 

for a millage rollback under certain circumstances, is proposed,

 

agreed to, and submitted to the people of the state:

 

ARTICLE IX

 

     Sec. 31. Units of Local Government are hereby prohibited from


 

levying any tax not authorized by law or charter when this section

 

is ratified or from increasing the rate of an existing tax above

 

that rate authorized by law or charter when this section is

 

ratified, without the approval of a majority of the qualified

 

electors of that unit of Local Government voting thereon. If the

 

definition of the base of an existing tax is broadened, the maximum

 

authorized rate of taxation on the new base in each unit of Local

 

Government shall be reduced to yield the same estimated gross

 

revenue as on the prior base. If the assessed valuation of property

 

as finally equalized, excluding the value of new construction and

 

improvements, increases by a larger percentage than the increase in

 

the General Price Level from the previous year, the maximum

 

authorized rate applied thereto in each unit of Local Government

 

shall be reduced to yield the same gross revenue from existing

 

property, adjusted for changes in the General Price Level, as could

 

have been collected at the existing authorized rate on the prior

 

assessed value.

 

     The limitations of this section shall not apply to taxes

 

imposed for the payment of principal and interest on bonds or other

 

evidence of indebtedness, or for the payment of assessments on

 

contract obligations in anticipation of which bonds are issued

 

which were authorized prior to the effective date of this

 

amendment, or for a millage assessed for the purpose of creating a

 

sinking fund to be used for the purchase of real estate for sites

 

for, and the construction or repair of, school buildings.

 

     Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be

 

submitted to the people of the state at the next general election


 

in the manner provided by law.