We’ve noticed that a number of people have pointed out tuition rates for Dickinson County residents attending Bay College are higher than what’s paid by Delta County residents.

A millage renewal for Bay College will be decided in Dickinson County on Aug. 5, so it’s important to put this information in its full context.

Bay College’s most recent independent audit by Rehmann LLC shows that for the year ending June 30, 2024, property taxes from Dickinson County paid to Bay totaled $1.23 million. The property tax levy in Delta County generated $4.53 million.

It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that Delta County students pay a lower rate and that the college’s larger campus remains in Escanaba.

Delta County supports the college with two separate millages. There is a permanent operating millage of 2.5 mills that stands at 2.2974 mills due to Headlee amendment rollbacks. There’s also a debt and a capital levy of 1 mill approved by voters through 2034. The total levy of 3.2974 mills is just under $3.30 per $1,000 of taxable value.

On social media, you might find confusion over the Delta County levy, which is split between summer and winter tax bills. Some have claimed that Delta County’s rate is lower than Dickinson’s, but that’s not true. It’s actually more than three times higher.

Dickinson County’s millage has been in place for almost 20 years and will expire with the 2026 levy. The ballot proposal asks for a renewal of 0.9987 mills, or just under $1 per $1,000 of taxable value.

For a home with an assessed value of $130,000 and a taxable value of $65,000, the Bay levy would total $64.92 for the year.

Claims have been made in letters received by The Daily News that Dickinson County residents receive no tuition break at all from Bay. That’s not the case.

Here’s a breakdown for student tuition and fees per semester, as posted on Bay’s website:

— Delta County residents, $3,135.

— Dickinson County residents, $4,305.

— Michigan in-state residents and Wisconsin reciprocal counties, $4,860.

— Out of state residents, $5,790.

— International students, $6,315.

According to Bay, in consideration of the tax support provided by residents of Dickinson County, the tuition rate for Dickinson residents is proportionately reduced from the in-state tuition rate. Based on the information above, the savings is $555 per semester for a full-time student, or $1,110 for the year.

The savings for Delta County residents from the in-state tuition rate is $1,725 per semester, or $3,450 for the year. The Delta savings is 3.1 times greater than the Dickinson savings, while the millage rate in Delta County for Bay is 3.3 times higher than the Dickinson rate.

Regardless of any opinions on the renewal, the comparative tuition numbers do make sense.

As an aside, full-time student tuition and fees for a Michigan resident at Northern Michigan University for the fall semester are listed at $7,300.

More on Bay’s perspective on the millage renewal can be found at https://www.baycollege.edu/about/community/millage.php.

Tuition costs are at https://www.baycollege.edu/admissions/paying-for-college/tuition-costs.php. Michigan also has financial aid programs that are specific to community colleges, with information available at https://www.baycollege.edu/admissions/paying-for-college/michigan-programs.php.

The audited financial statements can be found at https://www.baycollege.edu/_resources-dev/pdf/about/consumer-information/michigan-transparency-act/bay-de-noc-community-college-single-audit-report-063024.pdf.