BRIEF HISTORY OF BENTON HARBOR PROPERTY TAXES 1954 – Present10 mills authorized by City Charter, reduced annually for Headlee Rollback 2001 – mills authorized by electorate for general operating expenditures, reduced annually by Headlee Rollback Nov mills for general operating expenditures failed to be placed on ballot for renewal Nov mills for general operating expenditures fails electorate approval Dec. 2012Public Safety Special Assessment levied to replace failed millage renewal May 7, 2013SPECIAL BALLOT TO APPROVE HEADLEE OVERRIDE AND GENERAL OPERATING MILLAGE

CHARTER AUTHORIZED MILLAGE RESTORATION PROPOSAL This proposal would restore the perpetual City of Benton Harbor Charter Millage Authorization previously approved by electors, and rolled back by operation Of the Headlee amendment, to 10 mills. Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed on taxable Property in the City of Benton Harbor, County of Berrien, Michigan be increased By mills ($ dollars per thousand dollars of taxable value) as new additional millage in excess of the limitation imposed by Michigan Compiled Laws section d, to restore City Charter millage authorization previously approved by the electors as reduced by operation of the Headlee amendment, to provide funds for general operating purposes? It is estimated that mills Would raise approximately $242,410 when first levied in AS WILL BE PRESENTED ON THE TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2013 SPECIAL ELECTION BALLOT

AS WILL BE PRESENTED ON THE TUESDAY, MAY 7, 2013 SPECIAL ELECTION BALLOT GENERAL OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL This proposal would allow the City of Benton Harbor to fund general operations in the City by levying the 10 general operating mill which expired in Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be imposed on all taxable Property in the City of Benton Harbor, County of Berrien, Michigan, be increased By 10 mills ($10 dollars per thousand dollars of taxable value) for a period of (10) years, 2013 through 2022, inclusive, as a new additional millage to provide funds For general operating purposes? It is estimated that 10 mills would raise Approximately $1,171,401 when first levied in 2013.

 The average residential home with a taxable value of $27,500 will only pay $28.45 more a year, as opposed to $75.65 more a year if a Public Safety Special Assessment has to be levied again, as it was this past December.  The Public Safety Special Assessment will be eliminated.  Large personal property (equipment) owners such as corporations and large businesses will be levied a tax against personal property. It’s important to note that these corporations and businesses do not have to pay a personal property tax when a Public Safety Special Assessment is done, as was the case this past December.