“We’re back to being balanced, which is exciting,” County Administrator/Controller Nicole Frost told the board during a work session. “We have to balance our budget going forward, that’s what our long-term forecast is about.”

The draft budget, which will be finalized prior to the Oct. 1 start of the 2025 fiscal year, shows $24.57 million in revenues and a dollar-for-dollar match in expenses. The first draft, put forth June 4, predicted just shy of $24.2 million coming into the county coffers, and about $24.8 being spent.

Frost said the uptick in proposed revenues came from about $250,000 in expected taxes generated from the first year of a newly approved solar farm in Isabella Township, and from increased recreational cannabis sales here. At the same time, the most recent budget saw a one-time reduction in the estimated payment on the $11 million bond funding renovations to the county building.

Because construction will still take place during the 2025 fiscal year, Frost told the board, the annual payment will be $250,000 on interest only. Once the work is done and the county staff are back in their downtown Mount Pleasant headquarters, the annual principal-and-interest payment is expected to increase to $750,000 per year.

“All told, we’re up about $400,000 in revenues from the first draft,” Frost said “We’ve cut about $200,000 in expenses to bring us to that $24.5 balance.”

That pleased commissioners, but they also warned residents it’s not time to let up.

Voters will be asked to decide next month whether they would approve an extension to the existing 7.89-mill operational tax. The question breaks down to 6.61 mills for Isabella County, 1 mill for a property owner’s local township and .28 mills for the Intermediate School District.

A mill is $1 per $1,000 of taxable property value; meaning for the owner of a $100,000 taxable home, the millage means $789 per year in property taxes.

The rate has been in place since 1984 and, according to the proposed budget, is expected to bring in $16.9 million to the county coffers in fiscal year 2025.

Red vote no yard signs have been popping up around the county, arguing that batting down the extension would lower property taxes.

Finance and Administration Committee Chair Jerry Jaloszynski said it’s up to each voter to determine whether the savings are worth the potential cost.

“Seeing these red signs going up about savings taxes, no doubt, there would be some savings,” he said. “But you’re going to lose a lot of important services that people depend on.

“I’m not advocating one way or another, but it is important the people get out and vote.”

Vote no signs dot the roadway at the intersection of North Kinney Avenue and East Lincoln Street in Mount Pleasant Thursday, July 18. Isabella County voters will be asked during the Aug. 6 primary whether to extend three existing millages, including a 6.61-mill operating tax that allows the county government to operate. (CM Life staff photo)

In February, voters rejected a proposed 2.5-mill increase that would have supported general operations, including the county sheriff’s road patrol deputies. Their work is not specifically mandated under the county bylaws, and the vote put that facet of public safety on the chopping block earlier this year. The county board approved an emergency extension through the end of 2024, to the tune of an estimated $515,000.

The county is expected to present a separate road patrol millage question on the Nov. 5 ballot. The county deputies are not included in the millage extension that will be at question during the Aug. 6 primary.

“With draft number 2 and working toward a zero-based budget, we are stronger and closer to having a balanced budget than we have been in any of the 10 years I’ve been on the board,” Jaloszynski said. “We still have come challenges ahead of us. Hopefully, we can find more revenues, but as far as cutting to the bone, I’m not sure we can cut any further.

“We are responsible to the taxpayers of this county to do the best job we can with the resources that we have.”

Commissioner Chris Embrey pointed out that to reach the balanced budget, the government cut its bottom line by 15 percent.

“We have been able to achieve that. I realize there were some costs to that, but, unfortunately, given our financial situation moving forward for the next four or five years … we didn’t have many options,” he said. “I’ll reiterate again: I can’t express enough my appreciation for all the hard work (department heads and elected officials) put into presenting their budgets.

“We’re going to have a balanced budget, we’re going to be able to pay all of our outstanding obligations moving forward, but we are dependent on that 6.61 mills moving forward to make that happen.”

Commissioner Terry Hutchinson pointed out that the proposal in August would not create nor raise taxes, before listing a slew of services – from animal control and 4-H to veterans' services and the county court systems – that would be at risk if the extension were not approved.

“If you’re voting no, these are things that rare being affected,” he said. “I’m not telling anybody how to vote, but you think this I just about taxes. This has been going on for 46 years and for us to go back in time just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

“We have a great county,” he continued. “If everybody knew how much they are affecting it in their vote, I just don’t think people are aware.”