DEAREST READER...
We opened Michigan Treasury's School Bond Loan Fund ledger.
Now we're going county by county.
And MACOMB COUNTY certainly knows how to make an entrance. 👓📜
According to Michigan Treasury's 2025 records, 10 Macomb County school districts have outstanding balances in the state's school bond loan program.
Combined:
💰 $153,293,774.40
Yes.
$153.3 MILLION.
And two entries immediately caught my spectacles:
👀 CHIPPEWA VALLEY SCHOOLS
59 YEARS IN FUND
$37,290,273.60 OUTSTANDING
REPAYING
👀 CLINTONDALE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
60 YEARS IN FUND
$20,472,495.72 OUTSTANDING
REPAYING
To be clear: "59 years in fund" does NOT mean Chippewa Valley borrowed today's $37.29 million 59 years ago. Treasury reports years of participation and the current balance separately.
But nearly six decades of participation paired with a current $37.29 million balance?
I think taxpayers are entitled to see that receipt.
The remaining Macomb districts range from approximately $5.1 million to $23.2 million outstanding, bringing the county total to more than $153 million.
And it brings me right back to the question:
WHEN A DISTRICT ASKS VOTERS TO AUTHORIZE NEW BOND DEBT, SHOULDN'T ITS EXISTING OBLIGATIONS TO THE STATE BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION?
Participation in this program does not mean a district did anything wrong.
But voters cannot consider information they've never been shown.
So we're going to show it.
County by county. Receipt by receipt. 👓📚
SOURCE: Michigan Department of Treasury
2025 School Bond Qualification and Loan Program — Appendix C
With receipts and respect. 👑
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