Beyond the school bonds: museum, zoo and city tax questions on your Nov. 3 ballot
A new countywide museum tax, a Detroit Zoo renewal, and police, fire, parks and capital millages in Waterford, Independence, Highland, Novi and Royal Oak — plus a Clawson question on selling senior apartments.
By OCJ Staff
School bonds aren't the only tax questions on the Nov. 3 ballot. Here are the countywide and local non-school proposals Oakland County voters will see, with figures from the Oakland County Clerk's official proposal list. (Our guide to the school bonds and millages is here.)
One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of a property's taxable value — generally about half its market value.
Countywide
New: Southeast Michigan Public Historical Museum Authority — 0.2 mill, 10 years (2026–2035). Estimated to raise about $17.7 million from Oakland County in its first year. FOX 2 reported the money would support the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Historical Museum, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum and others, and that 15% of Oakland's share, after administrative costs, would go to historical museums in Oakland County. Supporters estimate the cost at about $30 a year on a $300,000 home and have promised free admission for residents. This is a new tax, not a renewal.
Renewal: Detroit Zoo — 0.10 mill, 10 years (2028–2037). Renews 0.0927 mill and restores 0.0073 mill lost to state-required rollbacks. Estimated first-year revenue: $8.8 million.
Local
Waterford Township — police and fire renewals, 10 years (2026–2035). Both failed in August and are back:
- Police: 1.3352 mills, about $4.5 million a year
- Fire: 0.8822 mill, about $3 million a year
WXYZ reported the two together cost the average homeowner about $210 a year. "No new tax, no increase," Police Chief Scott Underwood told the station.
Independence Township — police, up to 3.2 mills, four years. Replaces a 2.8282-mill levy that expired in 2025; failed in August. Our story on the Oct. 19 town hall.
Highland Township — fire and EMS, 2.32 mills total, six years. Renews 1.85 mills and adds 0.47 mill; failed narrowly in August. Our story.
Novi — capital improvements, 1.0 mill, 10 years starting with the July 2027 levy. Replaces an expiring capital millage; about $5.4 million the first year. Ballot language says it is not to be used for operations or payroll.
Royal Oak — two renewals, five years each:
- Parks, forestry, recreation, playgrounds and animal shelter: 0.70 mill, about $2.9 million
- Senior services: 0.20 mill, about $836,000
Clawson — Proposal 26-1 (not a tax). Asks voters whether the City Council may sell the city-owned Renshaw senior apartments at 121 Renshaw Ave., with the proceeds going to senior services. WDIV reported the building has 15 units. A resident group, Save Renshaw, opposes the sale; City Manager Joseph Rheker has said the city is weighing the building's maintenance and capital costs.
Find your ballot
Check your sample ballot at Michigan.gov/Vote. The county's full proposal list is posted on the Oakland County Clerk's elections page.
This story uses figures from the Oakland County Clerk's Nov. 3, 2026, proposal list and reporting from FOX 2, WXYZ, WDIV/ClickOnDetroit and C&G Newspapers.