Q: What school proposal is on the November 8, 2022 ballot? ?

A:  On November 8, 2022, voters in the Troy School District will be asked to consider a bond proposal to address infrastructure upgrades district-wide and provide modern learning environments for all students, with the goal of increasing opportunities and enhancing performance.

          The total amount of this bond proposal is $555 million. If approved, the bonds will be issued in three series over multiple years and will result in an estimated 2 mill increase over the current bond millage rate to fund this transformational bond proposal. It will cost the average homeowner less than $1 per day.

Q: I am on a limited income or am a senior citizen. Do I have to pay the full amount of the bond increase?

A: Not necessarily. Households that pay homestead property taxes greater than 3.2% of their annual income may be eligible for Michigan’s Homestead Property Tax Credit.  Eligible households may deduct up to 60%--up to 100% for senior citizens--of the millage increase. The eligibility for the credit begins to decrease after household income exceeds $51,001 and ends completely after the household income exceeds $60,001. You can see what the potential reductions could be by using the following tax estimate calculator: 

https://pfmtaxcalc.com/TroySchoolDistrict/default.aspx

Q: Why does the Troy Board of Education support putting this bond proposal on the ballot?

A:  The Board of Education appreciates and respects the enormous work of the residents on the Facilities Review Committee. The FRC’s careful consideration of the needs of students today and into the future resulted in a comprehensive recommendation that the Board believes will serve the District and residents of Troy well. The Board recognizes that our current buildings need significant upgrades to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow and ensure that Troy continues to be a destination city for families looking for an excellent education for their children.

Q: What are the highlights for Bond 2022? 

A:  The bond proposal falls into four categories:

Future-Ready Learning Environments

Create innovative and engaging educational spaces that foster collaboration and critical thinking, preparing students for college and careers of the future.  These spaces will uphold the tradition of academic excellence and community engagement that drives families to Troy.

Infrastructure & Sustainability

Ensure critical improvements to address aging and outdated schools and facilities, with a focus on increased operational efficiency and healthy, productive environments for students, staff, and community.

Program Enhancement

Develop and upgrade spaces for community and student programming, with an emphasis on STEM-based learning, robotics, athletics, recreation, fine and performing arts. Continue to build on partnerships with business and industry to offer opportunities for career and in-demand skills.  

Safety & Technology

Enhance security measures at all levels, including fencing, secure doors, upgraded camera systems and other safety infrastructure. Upgrade network/phone/ technology infrastructure to ensure that students and staff are connected to advanced resources needed for research, innovation and cutting-edge tools that enrich learning and achievement.

Q: Will our buildings and facilities be further enhanced for ADA accessibility with this program?

A:  Accessibility will be enhanced across every aspect of this program, starting with upgrading all bathrooms with ADA accessible features, integrating accessible playground equipment at our elementary playgrounds, and upgrading our special education spaces at all building levels with appropriate amenities and functionality.     

Q: What infrastructure upgrades will occur across our school buildings?

A:  The following matrix depicts the infrastructure improvements planned at each of our school facilities.  These upgrades were identified in the Facilities Condition Assessment report and cover identified upgrades over the next decade (10 years).    

Q: Why do we need a new Smith Middle School?

A:  A comprehensive analysis was conducted of the existing Smith Middle School that included current conditions and program assessment based on equity with the other District middle schools.  Through this analysis, major deficiencies were noted:
 

●        Major infrastructure upgrades are required to bring the school up to an efficient operating standard

●        Inadequate size of many spaces including science, general classrooms, gymnasium, art, music, dining, etc. that would need major re-configuration to be equitable with District standards

●        Difficulty in reorganizing the existing school into smaller learning communities with collaborative opportunities for students

Concepts were produced to assess whether remodeling/additions to the school would be a viable option.  Due to the intensity and complexity associated with re-imagining the school, project cost estimates approached over $50 million.  The FRC concluded that investing that amount of money into an outdated building that would likely continue to need major repairs did not make financial sense and strongly recommended that a new school be constructed on the same site.  Further, after completion of a new school, the existing Smith would be a valuable resource as surge space for various school communities while their schools are remodeled, thus allowing a more cost effective timeline.

Q: How will sustainability be addressed in the new and renovated schools?

A:  Sustainability and resilience will be important components in the planning and design of all the proposed bond program projects.  The District has prioritized the goal of sustainability, accessibility and safety by weaving those concepts into all future bond projects.  The goal is to create what is best for our students in creating world class learning environments that we can all be proud of and that also reflect our values as a community.

The District has formed a sustainability committee with interested students, staff and community members to ensure that sustainable design concepts are explored and considered at all levels.

Q: What is the estimated cost breakdown for the bond projects?

A:  Approximate costs associated with the projects identified in the Bond Proposal are allocated in the following manner:

Q: Why do you need a bond? The District built the new preschool without a bond.

A:  The District Preschool is completely self-sustaining, thanks to the fiscal stewardship of the Board of Education. The District was able to build the Troy Preschool with a unique opportunity to sell land in order to finance construction. Students at the preschool pay tuition, which pays the mortgage and costs associated with running that building.

There is no additional buildable land to sell and this model is not feasible to finance repair and upgrade for all 24 buildings in the District.

Q: Please explain what bond program money can cover and what it cannot.

A:  By State law, bond proceeds cannot be used for the following items:

●        Salaries and wages

●        General operating expenses, maintenance and repairs

●        Classroom supplies and textbooks

But, bond proceeds can be used for the following items:

●        Construction and remodeling of facilities

●        Purchase of instructional technology equipment

●        Equipment and furniture

Site improvements

Q: Where can I learn more and ask questions about this bond proposal?

A:  Community meetings will be held in multiple schools and local businesses throughout the months of September and October with opportunities for residents to ask questions, give input and meet with school and district officials. A calendar will be published on the Bond 2022 page. 

Q: What if I can't attend a meeting but I still have a question?

A:  For questions related to Bond 2022, please email bond2022@troy.k12.mi.us.  In addition, the District will have information on the website and will host various in person information meetings to share details about the program. 

Q: What are the key dates leading up to November 8, 2022 Election Day?

●        September 21, 2022 – Absent voter ballots must be available for issuance to voters.

●        October 24, 2022 – Last day to register by mail with the local clerk for the November 8, 2022 election.  After that you can register in-person through Election Day at the City Clerk’s Office

●        Saturday, November 5, 2022 8am - 4pm – City Clerk’s office hours – open for Absentee Voting and/or Registering.

●        November 8, 2022 up to 8pm – Election Day registrants may obtain and vote an absent voter ballot in person in the City Clerk’s office or vote in person in the proper precinct.

Q: Where do I vote?

A:  Your voting precinct is printed on your voter registration card provided by the Secretary of State.  If you are unsure of your precinct’s location, please go to this LINK. 
Changes have occurred over the past couple of years, so please double check your precinct location. You can also reference the following precinct map.

Past and new polling locations, including addresses, are included on the following chart.  Please review this list carefully to assure you are showing up at the correct location on Election Day.

Q: How much will this cost the average homeowner?

A:  The bond proposal equates to an estimated 2 mill increase to the current bond millage rate of 4.1 mills. The cost to the average homeowner in Troy is less than $1 per day. Over the life of the bonds as millage rates decrease, the average annual millage rate to retire these bonds is estimated at 3.94 mills. 

Q: What are some of the specific projects in the bond proposal? ?

A:  This bond proposal touches every school with infrastructure upgrades throughout all District buildings.

●        Provides a new Smith Middle School and a major new academic addition at Athens High School to bring appropriate and inspiring spaces to students and staff.

●        Addresses flow and overcrowded hallways at Troy High, as well as provides additional STEM, music and collaboration space.

●        Upgrades Arts and Athletics spaces and Playgrounds to provide our students and community members with safe, accessible, and available opportunities to participate in these activities.

●        Provides upgrades to existing spaces with the goal of bringing District facilities up to the standards of surrounding districts, giving students the same access to modern learning environments that foster critical thinking, creativity and other skills necessary to post-secondary success. 

Individual school building lists have been created outlining the specific program and infrastructure upgrades unique to each particular school.  These lists are included at the end of this document.

Q: What is the age of our schools? ?

A:  The average age of District school facilities is 48 years.  The following chart illustrates the age of each of our school facilities:

Q: Are these upgrades “wants” or “needs”?

A:  The Facilities Review Committee, along with the building assessments, identified the proposed improvements as necessary for the education of students today and into the future. Here is a small sample of the issues present in District schools that this bond proposal would solve include:

Increased space for instrumental music classes: Currently, there are too many students participating in concert band at Troy High for the existing band rooms to hold at one time. Students cannot learn/rehearse together. Similar overcrowding issues exist at the middle schools. Dedicated instrumental music space does not exist at our elementary schools. Students play and learn in the hallways, due to lack of available room.

Updating classrooms to prepare students for the skills of a 21st century workplace: Careers and post-secondary learning requires collaboration, hands-on problem solving, innovation and STEM-based skills. Most classrooms in the District do not allow for this type of learning. They are inflexible, with heavy furniture that cannot be moved to bring small groups of students together to solve problems, work in teams and collaborate with others in the room and across the globe. They do not foster the creativity and active innovation that employers require. This bond program would upgrade every classroom to allow the type of instruction that students require to prepare them for today’s world, as well as ensure dedicated space for robotics, STEM-based learning and sharing of ideas and resources. The flexibility designed within would also be able to adapt to meet the changes in learning and needs into the future.

Improvements to roofs, flooring, doors, etc.: With the average age of District schools at 48 years, infrastructure upgrades are required over the next ten years to keep our buildings safe and in good working condition. Though the District has invested in upkeep, the condition of the buildings is showing the natural decline expected with age. Roofs are leaking, sidewalks are crumbling, tile floors are cracking and bathrooms are unable to keep up with the needs of visitors and students. Door replacement, for both security and function, is necessary for the safety of all.

Accessibility of bathrooms, playgrounds, etc.: Currently, some bathrooms in District schools are not accessible to students with physical disabilities. Similar obstacles exist for the use of elementary playgrounds and recreational space. This bond program would ensure that every restroom and playground is ADA compliant and that there are no barriers to accessibility for students, staff and visitors.

Q: Is the problem of aging facilities unique to Troy?

A:  No. Birmingham, Royal Oak, Novi, Northville and Bloomfield Hills have all recently passed bonds to modernize their facilities. Historically, these modernized facilities are less expensive to operate than their predecessors. Moreover, In today’s competitive environment, districts seek every advantage to recruit and retain students. 

Q: Why is the construction value so high?

A:  Building costs have risen 35.6% since the beginning of the pandemic, According to the Producer Price Index released by Bureau of Labor statistics (July 14, 2022). Industry experts do not expect these prices to decrease and many speculate that inflation will continue. Much of the increase in construction costs stems from Not only have materials been escalating at record levels, but labor shortages in the skilled trades, construction materials, and fuel prices.  https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htm

Q: Why not wait for construction prices to decrease?

A:  Troy is a large school district with 24 buildings, most of them built in the 1970s. The average age of our schools is 48 years old, and the costs associated with aging buildings continues to rise. Troy has immense construction needs. The proposed bond would touch every building and site in the district. Whether construction prices continue to increase, or decrease, does not change the district’s basic need to educate students in modern facilities now.  

Q: Can I deduct these property taxes on my income tax return?

A:  Property taxes may be deductible as itemized deductions on your federal income tax return if you itemize. You may also be eligible for the Michigan Homestead Property Tax Credit on your Michigan Income Tax Return.  Please consult with your tax preparer.

Q: Can money from the bond program be used to pay for salaries and benefits?

A:  No, that is against State law.  Bond dollars cannot be used for operational expenses such as employee salaries, upgrades, facility maintenance, repairs or energy costs.  Bond program funds must be accounted for separately from general operating funds.  Bond funds are also subject to audit.

Q: When was the last time the Troy School District put a bond proposal on the ballot with a tax increase?

A:  Every bond proposal for the last 33 years has come with zero increase to the existing bond millage rate. In fact, the last bond proposal with a tax increase was a $33.5 million dollar bond in 1989, to build the “new” Troy High School. The District has been a fiscally conservative steward of taxpayer dollars.

Q: If I cannot make it to the polls on November 8, 2022 what are my options for absentee voting?

A:  The deadline to request an absentee ballot via First Class Mail is October 24, 2022.  Voters may also obtain an absent voter ballot in person up to 8pm on Tuesday, November 8th. The deadline to return a completed absentee ballot is Tuesday, November 8, at 8 p.m.

If you want to receive an absentee ballot application they are available:

●        On-line at:
APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT 

●        Or apply to be added to the Permanent AV List HERE

Note: Once election ballots are available in the clerk’s office, you can walk into your clerk’s office, receive an absentee application, fill it out, and immediately be given your ballot to cast your vote. Please check with your clerk’s office hours and if drop boxes are available.

Q: How will the bond proposal appear on the ballot?

A:  

TROY SCHOOL DISTRICT
COUNTY OF OAKLAND
STATE OF MICHIGAN 

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT BOND PROPOSITION 

Shall the Troy School District, County of Oakland, State of Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Five Hundred Fifty-Five Million Dollars ($555,000,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds, in one or more series, for the purpose of paying for the cost of the following projects:

●        Remodeling, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing, re-furnishing school buildings, athletic fields, playgrounds and other facilities to create a modern learning environment for students and for health, safety, security and other purposes;

●        Erecting, completing, equipping and furnishing a replacement middle school and classroom additions and other additions to existing school buildings and other facilities;

●        Acquiring and installing instructional technology infrastructure and equipment in school buildings and other facilities; and

●        Acquiring sites, preparing, developing and improving sites at school buildings and other facilities and the purchase of school buses?

                                                            YES                                     

                                                            NO                                      

The annual debt millage required to retire all bonds of the School District currently outstanding and proposed pursuant to this ballot is expected to be at or below 6.10 mills which is a 2 mill increase from the 4.10 mills of annual debt millage levied in 2022.  The maximum number of years any series of bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than thirty (30) years; the estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 3.35 mills (which is equal to $3.35 per $1,000 of taxable value); and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire each series of bonds is 3.94 mills annually ($3.94 per $1,000 of taxable value). 

If approved by the voters, the bonds will be guaranteed by the State under the School Bond Qualification and Loan Program (the “Program”). The School District currently has $116,165,000 of qualified bonds outstanding and $0 of qualified loans outstanding under the Program. The School District does not expect to borrow from the Program to pay debt service on these bonds. The estimated computed millage rate required to be levied to pay the proposed bonds may change in the future based on changes in certain circumstances.

(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, repair or maintenance costs or other operating expenses.)