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An Unaffordable Tax Hike! This bond would impose an average 3.19 mills property tax overat least the next 20 years - much higher than the school board has falsely claimed. As your taxable value increases up to 5% each year - your will tax burden will DEFINITELY increase significantly every year - for the next 25 years! For example, a township home worth $200,000 (assessed at $100,000 taxable value) will pay $319 each year over and above all the other property taxes you pay now.
VOTE NO ON THE MAY 5 STCS BOND: THE TRUE COST IS $150 MILLION.
They asked for $243M. We said NO.
They asked for $169M. We said NO.
Now they are hiding the true cost of their $94.2M request.
On May 5, 2026 , Saginaw Township Community Schools (STCS) is coming back to the taxpayers for a third time, asking for a $94,235,000 bond. The district is marketing this as a "scaled-back" proposal that will only cost you a 1.00 mill increase.
But the district's own official financial application to the State of Michigan tells a very different story. Here is what STCS isn't putting on their campaign flyers:
🛑 The "1 Mill Increase" is a Math Trick
The district claims taxes will only go up by 1.00 mill. What they aren't telling you is that our current debt from 2015 is rapidly expiring.
Right now, we pay 2.50 mills for existing debt.
If we vote NO, our required debt millage drops to 1.40 mills in 2026 and plummets to 0.00 mills by 2028.
If we vote YES, the rate jumps to 3.50 mills.
The Reality: By 2026, passing this bond means taking a 2.10 mill hit compared to doing nothing, and by 2028, you will be paying 3.50 mills more than you would have without this bond. You aren't just taking on new taxes; you are forfeiting a massive, scheduled tax cut!
🛑 The True Price Tag is $150 Million
When you take out a 20-year mortgage, you pay interest. The $94.2 million sticker price doesn't include the $55,707,575 in interest this bond will generate. The true cost to Saginaw Township taxpayers is $149,942,575. We cannot afford to strap our community with this level of debt.
🛑 Millions for Middlemen, Not Students
The district says this bond is strictly for "critical needs" like roofs and pipes. Yet, their own project budgets reveal massive payouts for "soft costs":
$8,596,488 will go to Construction Management fees.
$5,058,899 will go to Architectural and Engineering fees.
That is over $13.6 million lining the pockets of consultants before a single brick is laid.
🛑 A $11.3 Million "Slush Fund"
Even worse, the district has built an $11,381,275 "Contingency" buffer into their total. That means over 12% of the total bond amount is a safety net for cost overruns, undermining their claim that every single dollar of this $94 million is an absolute emergency.
🛑 Shrinking Enrollment, Growing Debt
Why are we taking on nearly $150 million in total debt to expand and remodel buildings when we have fewer students? The district's own official projections show a 2.60% drop in enrollment over the next five years, shrinking from 4,200 students today to 4,091. We should be rightsizing our budget, not expanding it.
📉 The Bottom Line
We generously renewed the district's operational millage in 2024 to cover standard maintenance. Throwing a total of nearly $150 million at routine repairs, bloated architect fees , and 20 years of interest is not the answer. Saginaw families are tightening their belts—the school district needs to do the same.
Take Action!
Mark your calendar: Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Talk to your neighbors: Share these numbers and spread the word.
Get to the polls: Vote NO on the STCS Bond Proposal.
Paid for with regulated funds by
It's Still Too Much Committee, P.O. 5146 Saginaw MI 48603 Email: itsstilltoomuch@gmail.com
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