The Michigan Legislature has voted to let schools use special local taxes to upgrades their security and technology.
The bill sent to Gov. Rick Snyder by the Senate Thursday affects 'sinking fund' millages - local property taxes that fund major repairs and renovations to school buildings.
The taxes are currently assessed by 173 of Michigan's 544 school districts. The legislation would expand allowable uses to include school security improvements and technology.
But it also would lower the maximum allowable tax rate to 3 mills from 5 mills when new sinking fund millages are approved by voters.
The bill also caps the length of new sinking fund millages, from 20 years to 10 years.
