2026 Millage FAQ'S

Yes. The proposal would authorize a new countywide millage of 0.689 mills. Currently, DATA is funded through a patchwork of local millages: 0.6 mills in Escanaba and Gladstone, and 0.5 mills in seven participating townships (Bay de Noc, Bark River, Brampton, Ensign, Ford River, Masonville and Rapid River). Seven other Delta County townships (Wells, Garden, Nahma, Maple Ridge, Baldwin, Cornell and Fairbanks) currently have no DATA service because no local transit millage funding is in place there. If the countywide millage is authorized, it would replace the existing city and township transit millages with a single shared rate that funds service for all of Delta County. 

Shall the Delta Area Transit Authority, County of Delta, Michigan, be authorized to levy annually a new additional millage in an amount not to exceed .689 mill ($0.689 per each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the Delta Area Transit Authority limits (the jurisdictional limits of Delta County) for a period of eight (8) years, 2026 through 2033, inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for all public transportation authority purposes permitted by law, including but not limited to funding demand-response transportation and related services for senior citizens, individuals with disabilities, economically disadvantaged persons, veterans, and the general public; the expansion of service hours and days; and increased service availability and coverage throughout Delta County? The estimate of the revenue the Delta Area Transit Authority will collect if the millage is approved and levied by the Delta Area Transit Authority in the first year (2026) is approximately $1,100,000. By law, a portion of the revenue from the millage may be subject to capture by the Downtown Development Authorities of the City of Escanaba and the City of Gladstone. 

This language in the ballot refers to a small portion of the millage money that might be used to improve the downtown areas in Escanaba and Gladstone.

Here's how it works. Both cities have a Downtown Development Authority, or DDA. Their job is to improve their downtown areas by doing things such as fixing roads, parking lots or streetlights. To pay for that work, the DDA is allowed to keep a small percentage of the tax money from its downtown area.

There is no set percentage in state law. How much each DDA keeps depends on how much its downtown has grown in recent years. That is why the ballot says a portion "may" be captured by the DDAs instead of naming a number.

Almost all of the money from the millage would go toward paying for DATA rides across Delta County. The state requires this sentence on the ballot, so voters know about it ahead of time. 

The proposed countywide millage would replace the current patchwork of transit millages in the two cities and seven townships with one countywide millage.

This is a pass-or-fail proposal. If approved, transit service would be available throughout all of Delta County, with expanded service hours including early morning service and Friday and Saturday evening service.

If the proposal is not approved, DATA would lose both the proposed countywide millage funding and approximately 90% of its state and federal operating funding because the required local match would no longer be available. As a result, the two cities and seven townships currently receiving service would also lose DATA transit service.

A reduction of approximately 90% of DATA's operating budget would require significant reductions in staffing and service. Transit operations would likely be limited to a small number of specialized transportation services supported through contractual funding.

No. DATA does not offer free rides. All riders pay the fare each time they ride the bus.