Slight budget boost to ease some sting from budget cuts
The Presque Isle County treasurer?s office has collected more than $78,123 of $89,222 billed to homeowners who claimed homestead exemptions to which they were not entitled. The collected money has been turned over to school districts in Presque Isle and Alpena counties. The extra funding will take away some of the sting from districts, especially with Gov. Jennifer Granholm?s recent Executive Order reducing the per pupil foundation grant.
TREASURER PAT CORNETT was to write the checks this week and mail them to four public school districts. Onaway Area Schools was to receive the biggest check, at $35,188, because the majority of property owners were from Ocqueoc and Case townships. Cornett said her office billed the owners of more than 150 parcels county-wide during the initial phase of the collection period. Only a person?s principal property can fall under the homestead classification, which is where the property owner primarily lives, works, votes and banks. Properties such as businesses, second homes and rentals are categorized as non-homestead.
Rogers City Area Schools will receive $9,963, while Posen Consolidated Schools will get $8,383.
ALPENA PUBLIC SCHOOLS? check is $23,806 from property owners in the Presque Isle area, which has an area that is part of the Alpena school district. ?Ultimately if it?s not paid it could result in the loss of their property because it will be foreclosed on,? said Cornett. If a property owner doesn?t pay before March 1, it will be treated like a delinquent tax, Cornett said.
The balance will be paid to the school districts at a later date, after collection has been made. ?Every school district will be getting some (money),? said Cornett. ?It will definitely help them with the cuts that were made by the state.?