DEARBORN, Mich. – Dearborn Public Schools’ proposed $1.5 billion bond -- which district leaders say would replace or remodel every school over the next 20 years -- is officially headed toward the November ballot after the school board approved the ballot language Monday night.
The board also hired Mike Esseily as superintendent.
“We have some schools that are over 100 years old,” Esseily said. “We have things in our classrooms that it comes to a specific point that you cannot use them anymore.”
District leaders say the bond carries a 3.14-mill increase, but they insist it would not mean higher taxes for most Dearborn homeowners. They say the increase would be offset by a lower city debt millage and the elimination of an existing school operating millage.
“So what your taxes are today, exactly one year from now if this bond passes, will be the same,” Esseily said.
For Dearborn Heights homeowners, the district says the bond would have a small tax impact, while most of the increase homeowners may notice comes from correcting a past tax billing error.
If approved, the bond would build six new schools -- all preschool-through-eighth-grade buildings -- and eventually bring major remodeling to every remaining school in the district.
District officials warn that if the bond fails, money needed for infrastructure could come from other areas.
“Anything we take to use for infrastructure is going to be having to take out of different areas that are critical to teaching and learning,” Esseily said.
Nearly every voter Local 4 spoke with on and off camera said they would support the proposal.
“I feel like our tax money is going to the roads and it should be invested in schools,” Ali Bazzi said.
Dearborn voters last approved a school bond in 2013, but narrowly rejected a $240 million facilities bond in 2019, defeated by 242 votes.
For more information on the bond proposal, click here.