Michigan Legislature votes to pay off $12 Million Inkster School District Debt Community holds debt burning

On a cold day in late November, members of the Inkster community gathered with State Senator Dayna Polehanki at the former site of Inkster High School for a debt burning ceremony. Earlier in the month on November 2, 2023, Michigan Senate passed House Bill 4292, budget supplemental legislation that contains a number of significant investments for Michigan schools - including $12.12 million to forgive Inkster School District's school debt that Sen. Polehanki has been working hard to secure. This is the second funding that will completely pay off the debt. Michigan Legislature approved a $8.2 million appropriation in December 2018.

In her efforts to stress the importance of Senator Polehanki working on the debt elimination, Pastor Velma Jean Overman had the vision to have a ceremonial debt burning event on the site of the old Inkster High School. Once the vote was passed in the Legislature, Senator Polehanki put the celebration in motion.

The debt burning was a financial celebration, as it will free up monies that many of the residents have been paying for almost ten years. When that will actually go in effect still hasn't been decided. Mayor Byron Nolen stated that he is glad that the debt will be paid off, but one of the next steps is to determine, if the City of Inkster will be able to have a school district again.

This was a long fight that many organizations, community members, former and current elected officials and Inkster school district alumni can now breathe a sigh of relief. To complete the celebration, the Inkster Fire Department was on hand to handle the burning of the ceremonial big $12 Million debt. Cheers rang out from the attendees once the debt began to burn.

As a result of the state's action, Inkster residents are currently paying 13 mills, plus interest, on the dissolved district's remaining school debt, which is not slated to be paid off until the year 2032. By eliminating the remaining debt, all Inkster residents will see a significant property tax reduction. By today's forgiveness of the district's debt relief, Inkster residents will be paying between zero mills and 8 mills (at most) of debt, depending on which of four neighboring school districts their children actually attend.