Farmington Public Schools would receive an estimated $781 per student annually if Oakland County voters approve a 1.5-mill property tax increase on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

The six-year Regional Enhancement Millage would provide unrestricted dollars the district could spend on staffing, operations, or programs, according to The Oakland Press.

Unlike bond or sinking-fund money tied to specific building projects, enhancement millage revenue can pay for salaries, intervention services, transportation, extracurriculars, and curriculum needs.

Farmington Public Schools posted information about the proposal on its website in May, calling the funds support for "day-to-day operations that directly impact student learning."

What it costs

The official ballot language sets the rate at 1.5 mills — $1.50 per $1,000 of taxable value. For a home with a taxable value of $200,000 (roughly a $400,000 market-value home under Michigan's assessment system), the annual cost would be $300, according to the Oakland County Intermediate School District. A home with a taxable value of $100,000, or about $200,000 market value, would pay approximately $150 per year.

If approved, the charge would first appear on winter 2026 tax bills in December, according to Detroit television station WXYZ.

Countywide, the millage would raise an estimated $125.7 million in its first year, per the official ballot language posted by the City of Farmington Hills.

How it works

Oakland Schools ISD would collect the tax and distribute every dollar to local districts and eligible public school academies on a per-pupil basis. Oakland Schools Superintendent Kenneth Gutman told The Oakland Press in mid-July that the ISD keeps nothing: "The funds are not kept by the ISD. Revenue is distributed to local school districts and eligible public school academies based on a per-pupil formula."

The Oakland Schools ISD board voted 3-1 in March to place the proposal on the August primary ballot after school boards representing a majority of the county's student population approved resolutions requesting the vote.

Supporters and opponents

Supporters say the funding would help districts compete for teachers with neighboring Wayne and Macomb counties, which already levy enhancement millages. Waterford Schools Superintendent Adam Martin told The Oakland Press that Oakland County has struggled to stay "regionally competitive from a teacher perspective" since those counties adopted their own millages.

Oakland County is one of the few large Michigan counties without an enhancement millage.

Opponents, including the Oakland County Republican Party, have campaigned against the proposal. The party's materials describe it as a "$131 million tax grab," a figure higher than the $125.7 million in the official ballot language. Party Finance Chair Brian Szmytke told The Oakland Press that higher per-pupil spending does not guarantee better outcomes. Oakland County Commissioner Bob Hoffman urged a no vote, arguing the average Oakland County homeowner would pay closer to $300 per year because the county's average home value exceeds $400,000.

How to vote

All registered voters in Farmington and Farmington Hills can vote on the millage regardless of which party primary ballot they choose. It appears as a separate nonpartisan proposal.

Early voting runs Saturday, July 25, through Sunday, August 2, at the Costick Activities Center, 28600 W. Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, except Thursday, July 30, when hours shift to noon to 8 p.m.

Election Day is Tuesday, August 4. Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 23 precincts across Farmington Hills, including Farmington STEAM Academy, Kenbrook Elementary, Farmington Central High School, and East Middle School.

The Farmington Hills City Clerk's Office, 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road, offers extended hours Thursday, July 30 (8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and Saturday, August 1 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Residents can reach City Clerk Carly Lindahl's office at (248) 871-2410.