Chippewa County will levy its first-ever dedicated millage for health care services after voters on Tuesday, Aug. 4, approved a new 0.150-mill tax to fund primary, behavioral and preventive care for uninsured and underinsured residents.

All four proposals passed.

The Community Health Access Coalition millage passed 4,707 to 2,747, about 63% in favor, according to unofficial results posted by the county. Three renewal millages for ambulance and fire protection, recycling and road maintenance also passed by wider margins.

The new CHAC levy will raise an estimated $232,707 in its first year, according to ballot language reported by 9&10 News. Revenue will fund a contract between the county and CHAC, a local nonprofit, to provide care coordination, community outreach and health services for residents who lack adequate insurance.

U.S. Census data cited in the county board's April 16 resolution placing the proposals on the ballot shows approximately 5,600 Chippewa County residents, nearly 18% of the population, are uninsured. The resolution, adopted 3-0 by Commissioners Damon Lieurance, Scott Shackleton and James Traynor, stated that funding preventive care for uninsured residents would lead to healthier residents, fewer medical crises, fewer preventable hospitalizations and reduced medical debt. Chairman Jim Martin and Commissioner Justin Knepper were absent for that vote.

Andrea Osborn, a member of the public, thanked commissioners for their support of the CHAC proposal at the board's March 12 meeting, before the resolution was formally adopted.

The levy will appear on December 2026 tax bills at $0.15 per $1,000 of taxable value and run through 2029.

Renewals pass by wide margins

The ambulance and fire protection millage drew the strongest support of any proposal, passing 6,111 to 1,401. Renewed at 0.4189 mills for four years, it is projected to raise about $649,867 in year one. The rate is slightly lower than the 0.4280 mills voters approved in 2022 due to Headlee rollbacks. Revenue is split 35% for county administration, training and communications and 65% to the City of Sault Ste. Marie and Chippewa County's 16 townships based on taxable valuations.

The recycling program millage passed 5,557 to 1,943. Renewed at 0.4900 mills for four years, it is expected to generate about $760,176 in year one and funds the county's drop-off recycling center.

The road maintenance and repairs millage passed 5,470 to 1,792. Renewed at 0.9624 mills for five years beginning Dec. 1, 2027, it is projected to raise about $1.49 million annually for the Board of County Road Commissioners, which maintains approximately 1,300 roadways, and for streets in Sault Ste. Marie and the Village of DeTour. That rate is down from 0.9879 mills in 2021 due to Headlee rollbacks.

Turnout ticks up

Turnout was 27.95%, with 7,910 of 28,300 registered voters casting ballots. That edges past the 26.14% turnout in the August 2022 primary, when voters last renewed the ambulance/fire and recycling millages.

Results remain unofficial pending canvass by the county Board of Canvassers.