As I rounded the corner, there it was a beautiful mix of
colors and sizes of plants. At the edge
of the road grew bright yellow goldenrods, immediately behind them was a bunch
of wheat grass just beginning to turn brown, standing tall behind them was a
group of reeds and cattails. That scene was
only three weeks ago. This week, the
goldenrods were gone and the wheat grass had withered. The bright spot in the landscape was of
course the trees!
As I rounded the same corner and cruised up the hill the
brightly colored leaves were peaking over the edge of the road, lightly waving
in the fall breeze. Each day as I drove
up that same incline I notice the trees becoming more vibrant with their leaves
almost leaping off of their branches, bursting with color!
Just as the seasons change the colors of the leaves
and the scenery around us, so has the passage of time changed the way schools
are funded and the amount of funding received from the state. In November 1978
Michigan voters approved the so-called Headlee Amendment which was considered
earth-shaking tax reform in those days.
Property is now classified as homestead and non-homestead. Homestead property is considered to be a Michigan resident’s home. Business property, rental housing, and vacation homes are considered to be non-homestead property. Property that is not a homestead and not qualified agricultural property can be assessed up to an additional 18 mills for local school operating purposes.
