Township
Bowne Township
Bowne Township is a township in Kent County, Michigan. In 2025, primary homes here pay a total of 22.63–30.99 mills in property tax, depending on the school district; rentals, second homes and businesses pay 40.59–48.99 mills. It levied property tax in 4 tax areas in 2025. In fiscal year 2025 it reported $1.6 million in spending across all its funds. It has 5 boards and sub-entities.
Total property tax rate, primary homes
22.63–30.99
mills in 2025 · 4 tax areas · about $3,682–$5,041 a year on a median home (estimate)
Total property tax rate, rentals, second homes and businesses
40.59–48.99
mills in 2025 · includes the school operating tax
Levies, 2025
2
in 4 tax areas
Boards and sub-entities
5
Total property tax rates here, 2025
What property pays to every taxing body (the State, county, schools, local government and others), by tax area. A mill is $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value.
Compare with every tax area in Kent County →
| School district | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thornapple Kellogg School District | 30.9853 | $5,041 | 48.9853 |
| Lowell Area Schools | 30.3766 | $4,942 | 48.1218 |
| Caledonia Community Schools | 29.4185 | $4,786 | 47.4185 |
| Lakewood Public Schools | 22.6332 | $3,682 | 40.5864 |
Rates differ within Bowne Township because parts of it are in different school districts (Caledonia Community Schools, Lakewood Public Schools, Lowell Area Schools and Thornapple Kellogg School District).
Kent County's certified rates split each area's total between a summer and a winter tax bill; open an area below to see its split.
Primary homes, which their owners live in, pay the homestead rate; so do qualified farmland and a few other kinds of property exempt from the school operating tax. Rentals, second homes and most businesses pay the non-homestead rate, which includes it. What these terms mean
Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works
Every levy, by tax area
Thornapple Kellogg School District · 30.9853 primary homes, 48.9853 other
Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 17.0913, winter 13.8940; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 17.0913, winter 31.8940.
| Levy | Levied by | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Debt | Thornapple Kellogg School District | 9.6500 | $1,570 | 9.6500 |
| State Education Tax | State of Michigan | 6.0000 | $976 | 6.0000 |
| ISD Voted Special Education | Kent ISD | 4.3364 | $706 | 4.3364 |
| County Allocated Operating | Kent County | 4.0605 | $661 | 4.0605 |
| Community College | Grand Rapids Community College | 1.6793 | $273 | 1.6793 |
| Voted Operating | Bowne Township | 1.5066 | $245 | 1.5066 |
| ISD Voted Vocational Education | Kent ISD | 0.9310 | $151 | 0.9310 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Bowne Township | 0.7942 | $129 | 0.7942 |
| Jail | Kent County | 0.7417 | $121 | 0.7417 |
| Senior Citizens | Kent County | 0.4914 | $80 | 0.4914 |
| Zoo and Museum | Kent County | 0.4134 | $67 | 0.4134 |
| Ready by Five | Kent County | 0.2476 | $40 | 0.2476 |
| ISD Allocated Operating | Kent ISD | 0.0841 | $14 | 0.0841 |
| Veterans | Kent County | 0.0491 | $8 | 0.0491 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | Thornapple Kellogg School District | 0.0000 | $0 | 18.0000 |
Lowell Area Schools · 30.3766 primary homes, 48.1218 other
Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 21.0704, winter 9.3062; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 29.9430, winter 18.1788.
| Levy | Levied by | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Debt | Lowell Area Schools | 7.0000 | $1,139 | 7.0000 |
| State Education Tax | State of Michigan | 6.0000 | $976 | 6.0000 |
| ISD Voted Special Education | Kent ISD | 4.3364 | $706 | 4.3364 |
| County Allocated Operating | Kent County | 4.0605 | $661 | 4.0605 |
| Community College | Grand Rapids Community College | 1.6793 | $273 | 1.6793 |
| Voted Operating | Bowne Township | 1.5066 | $245 | 1.5066 |
| Library | Kent District Library | 1.0832 | $176 | 1.0832 |
| Building and Site | Lowell Area Schools | 0.9581 | $156 | 0.9581 |
| ISD Voted Vocational Education | Kent ISD | 0.9310 | $151 | 0.9310 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Bowne Township | 0.7942 | $129 | 0.7942 |
| Jail | Kent County | 0.7417 | $121 | 0.7417 |
| Senior Citizens | Kent County | 0.4914 | $80 | 0.4914 |
| Zoo and Museum | Kent County | 0.4134 | $67 | 0.4134 |
| Ready by Five | Kent County | 0.2476 | $40 | 0.2476 |
| ISD Allocated Operating | Kent ISD | 0.0841 | $14 | 0.0841 |
| Veterans | Kent County | 0.0491 | $8 | 0.0491 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | Lowell Area Schools | 0.0000 | $0 | 17.7452 |
Caledonia Community Schools · 29.4185 primary homes, 47.4185 other
Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 20.5913, winter 8.8272; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 29.5913, winter 17.8272.
| Levy | Levied by | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Debt | Caledonia Community Schools | 7.0000 | $1,139 | 7.0000 |
| State Education Tax | State of Michigan | 6.0000 | $976 | 6.0000 |
| ISD Voted Special Education | Kent ISD | 4.3364 | $706 | 4.3364 |
| County Allocated Operating | Kent County | 4.0605 | $661 | 4.0605 |
| Community College | Grand Rapids Community College | 1.6793 | $273 | 1.6793 |
| Voted Operating | Bowne Township | 1.5066 | $245 | 1.5066 |
| Library | Kent District Library | 1.0832 | $176 | 1.0832 |
| ISD Voted Vocational Education | Kent ISD | 0.9310 | $151 | 0.9310 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Bowne Township | 0.7942 | $129 | 0.7942 |
| Jail | Kent County | 0.7417 | $121 | 0.7417 |
| Senior Citizens | Kent County | 0.4914 | $80 | 0.4914 |
| Zoo and Museum | Kent County | 0.4134 | $67 | 0.4134 |
| Ready by Five | Kent County | 0.2476 | $40 | 0.2476 |
| ISD Allocated Operating | Kent ISD | 0.0841 | $14 | 0.0841 |
| Veterans | Kent County | 0.0491 | $8 | 0.0491 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | Caledonia Community Schools | 0.0000 | $0 | 18.0000 |
Lakewood Public Schools · 22.6332 primary homes, 40.5864 other
Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 10.0605, winter 12.5727; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 10.0605, winter 30.5259.
| Levy | Levied by | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Education Tax | State of Michigan | 6.0000 | $976 | 6.0000 |
| ISD Voted Special Education | Ionia ISD | 4.6177 | $751 | 4.6177 |
| County Allocated Operating | Kent County | 4.0605 | $661 | 4.0605 |
| School Debt | Lakewood Public Schools | 2.5000 | $407 | 2.5000 |
| Voted Operating | Bowne Township | 1.5066 | $245 | 1.5066 |
| Library | Kent District Library | 1.0832 | $176 | 1.0832 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | Bowne Township | 0.7942 | $129 | 0.7942 |
| Jail | Kent County | 0.7417 | $121 | 0.7417 |
| Senior Citizens | Kent County | 0.4914 | $80 | 0.4914 |
| Zoo and Museum | Kent County | 0.4134 | $67 | 0.4134 |
| Ready by Five | Kent County | 0.2476 | $40 | 0.2476 |
| ISD Allocated Operating | Ionia ISD | 0.1278 | $21 | 0.1278 |
| Veterans | Kent County | 0.0491 | $8 | 0.0491 |
| School Operating (Non-Homestead) | Lakewood Public Schools | 0.0000 | $0 | 17.9532 |
Where the property tax goes here
Each tax area's total for primary homes, split by who levies it.
Of the $3,682–$5,041 a year a new buyer of a median primary home here would pay (an estimate), about $374 goes to Bowne Township (7–10%). The rest goes to the other bodies that levy here: the State, the county, the schools and others.
Bowne Township's 4 tax areas rank between 50th and 92nd highest of Kent County's 94 for primary homes. See every area
- State
- County
- ISD and college
- School district
- City, township or village
- Library, transit and other
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Bowne Township Thornapple Kellogg School District 30.9853 mills $5,041
Bowne Township with Thornapple Kellogg School District: 30.9853 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 9.6500, City, township or village 2.3008), estimated $5,041 a year for a new buyer
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Bowne Township Lowell Area Schools 30.3766 mills $4,942
Bowne Township with Lowell Area Schools: 30.3766 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 7.9581, City, township or village 2.3008, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $4,942 a year for a new buyer
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Bowne Township Caledonia Community Schools 29.4185 mills $4,786
Bowne Township with Caledonia Community Schools: 29.4185 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 7.0000, City, township or village 2.3008, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $4,786 a year for a new buyer
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Bowne Township Lakewood Public Schools 22.6332 mills $3,682
Bowne Township with Lakewood Public Schools: 22.6332 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 4.7455, School district 2.5000, City, township or village 2.3008, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $3,682 a year for a new buyer
The figures as a table
| Tax area | State | County | ISD and college | School district | City, township or village | Library, transit and other | Total | Estimated tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowne Township, Thornapple Kellogg School District | 6.0000 | 6.0037 | 7.0308 | 9.6500 | 2.3008 | 0.0000 | 30.9853 | $5,041 |
| Bowne Township, Lowell Area Schools | 6.0000 | 6.0037 | 7.0308 | 7.9581 | 2.3008 | 1.0832 | 30.3766 | $4,942 |
| Bowne Township, Caledonia Community Schools | 6.0000 | 6.0037 | 7.0308 | 7.0000 | 2.3008 | 1.0832 | 29.4185 | $4,786 |
| Bowne Township, Lakewood Public Schools | 6.0000 | 6.0037 | 4.7455 | 2.5000 | 2.3008 | 1.0832 | 22.6332 | $3,682 |
Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works
What Bowne Township levies, 2025
Only its own millages, part of the totals above, and how many tax areas each is levied in.
| Levy | Primary homes mills | Median home est. yearly tax | Rentals, second homes and businesses mills | Tax areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voted Operating | 1.5066 | $245 | 1.5066 | 4 |
| Allocated or Charter Operating | 0.7942 | $129 | 0.7942 | 4 |
Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works
Money in and out, fiscal year 2025
From its annual financial report, as filed with the Michigan Department of Treasury. Its fiscal year ends in March.
Revenue
$2.4M
all funds
Spending
$1.6M
all funds
Spending per resident
$487
2024 population: 3,339
General fund spending
$828K
budget: $842K
Spending by purpose
All funds. Share of $1,627,290 in total.
-
General government $655,235 40%
Legislative (Council, Board, Commission) $2,450 Chief Executive $41,600 Treasurer $42,828 Clerk $46,301 Assessing Equalization $31,200 Elections $16,843 Building and Grounds $10,190 Attorney/Corporation Counsel $166,654 All Other General Government $297,169 -
Public works $371,096 23%
Public Works (Non-Act 51) $7,314 Road Commission/Street Dept. (Act 51) $102,562 Water and/or Sewer Systems $226,529 All Other Public Works $34,691 -
Community and economic development $312,003 19%
Economic Development $312,003 -
Public safety $224,518 14%
Fire $224,518 -
Capital outlay, debt service and other $48,633 3%
Capital Outlay $20,414 Debt Service $28,219 -
Recreation and culture $15,805 1%
Library $10,944 Various Cultural Activities, Fine Arts, Historical Society, Museums, etc. $4,861
Revenue by source
All funds. Share of $2,354,958 in total.
-
Other revenue $793,898 34%
Miscellaneous Other Revenue $793,898 -
Taxes $696,003 30%
Property Tax (includes, delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, fees, community wide special assessments) $696,003 -
State grants $463,049 20%
State Revenue Sharing $463,049 -
Charges for services $302,010 13%
All Other Services Rendered Charges $302,010 -
Licenses and permits $55,673 2%
Business Licenses and Permits $55,673 -
Interest and rents $29,294 1%
Interest & Dividends $29,294 -
Borrowing and transfers in $15,031 1%
Proceeds from Bond/Note Issuance $15,031
"All funds" is the report's total column: the general fund, other governmental funds, enterprise funds such as water and sewer, internal service funds and component units. Its totals include money moved between the government's own funds, and revenue includes money borrowed. Spending per resident is total spending divided by the population shown; the shares are each heading's part of its total. Open a heading to see the lines filed under it.
Population: DashBoard_Metrics (MI Community Financial Dashboard), Michigan Department of Treasury.
Source: FY2025 F65 Township Part 2, Michigan Department of Treasury, retrieved November 3, 2026.
Revenue and spending, fiscal years 2016–2025
All funds, as filed each year.
Fiscal year 2016
$1.2M revenue
$1.3M spending
Fiscal year 2017
$1.2M revenue
$1.6M spending
Fiscal year 2018
$1.2M revenue
$1.4M spending
Fiscal year 2019
$1.2M revenue
$1.1M spending
Fiscal year 2020
$1.2M revenue
$1.1M spending
Fiscal year 2021
$1.4M revenue
$1.6M spending
Fiscal year 2022
$1.3M revenue
$1.1M spending
Fiscal year 2023
$1.4M revenue
$1.2M spending
Fiscal year 2024
$1.5M revenue
$1.3M spending
Fiscal year 2025
$2.4M revenue
$1.6M spending
The figures as a table
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Spending | General fund spending | Long-term debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,354,958 | $1,627,290 | $827,551 | $518,357 |
| 2024 | $1,490,351 | $1,267,231 | $577,373 | — |
| 2023 | $1,368,489 | $1,223,452 | $594,224 | — |
| 2022 | $1,307,942 | $1,072,819 | $548,462 | — |
| 2021 | $1,352,209 | $1,590,378 | $575,962 | — |
| 2020 | $1,230,298 | $1,077,164 | $543,602 | — |
| 2019 | $1,166,758 | $1,119,241 | $593,615 | — |
| 2018 | $1,169,557 | $1,427,150 | $671,161 | $30,000 |
| 2017 | $1,198,960 | $1,583,701 | $935,430 | $200,000 |
| 2016 | $1,247,426 | $1,297,841 | $457,100 | $220,000 |
Each year links to the dataset it comes from. A year with dashes across has no report in the State's data.
Debt, pensions and staff, fiscal year 2025
As reported in the same filing.
Debt and fund balance
- Long-term debt at year end
- $518,357
- General fund balance at year end
- $855,112
- Of which unassigned
- $855,112
Pensions and retiree health care
- Unfunded pension liability
- —
- Pension funded, general employees
- —
- Pension funded, police and fire
- —
- Unfunded retiree health care (OPEB)
- —
Staff
- Police
- —
- Fire
- 18
- Combined public safety
- —
- All other staff
- 21
- Wages and salaries
- $332,047
A dash means the State's data has no figure for that line. Its datasets leave out zero amounts in most years, so a dash can also be a zero that was filed. The unfunded pension liability is the filing's "aggregate pension liability" line.
Source: FY2025 F65 Township Part 2, Michigan Department of Treasury, retrieved November 3, 2026.
Boards and sub-entities
Authorities and special districts
-
Alto Downtown Development Authority
Downtown Development Authority
Boards, commissions and committees
-
Board of Review
Board of Review
-
Historical Commission
Historic Preservation Commission
Unconfirmed -
Planning Commission
Planning Commission
-
Zoning Board of Appeals
Zoning Board of Appeals
Transparency checks
What this body files with the State and posts online, checked against the law and good practice.
Grade pending
A grade appears once every check below has been read and the site has set its grading scale. Every check counts the same.
Required by law
4 found · 1 not found
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Found: Audit filed with the State for the latest fiscal year
Treasury's Document Search shows the audit for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 as received, sent September 30, 2025.
Uniform Budgeting and Accounting Act, MCL 141.421 et seq.; MCL 141.921 · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 from State records · Evidence for Audit filed with the State for the latest fiscal year
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Found: Audit filed on time
Sent September 30, 2025, within six months of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 (due September 30, 2025; fiscal year end from its F-65).
Due six months after fiscal year end; MCL 141.921 · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 from State records · Evidence for Audit filed on time
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Found: Annual financial report (F-65) filed with the State
Treasury's Document Search shows the annual financial report (F-65) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 as received, sent September 30, 2025.
MCL 141.424(3) · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 from State records · Evidence for Annual financial report (F-65) filed with the State
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Found: Annual financial report (F-65) filed on time
Sent September 30, 2025, within six months of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 (due September 30, 2025; fiscal year end from its F-65).
Due six months after fiscal year end; MCL 141.424(3) · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 from State records · Evidence for Annual financial report (F-65) filed on time
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Not found: FOIA procedures and written public summary posted
The Forms & Permits page has a "Freedom of Information Act" section linking "FOIA Procedures and Guidelines" and "FOIA Policy Resolution". Opened 2026-09-27: the procedures (35 pages, with Attachments A-F, all forms) and the resolution, which adopts a Written Public Summary "attached as Exhibit B"; neither file contains it. No summary was found on the site, which has no search. Second reading 2026-09-27: 11 of the 20 pages in the site's sitemap (every one likely to hold documents) link no summary; a web search found none.
MCL 15.234(4) · Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for FOIA procedures and written public summary posted
Good practice
2 found · 9 not found
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Not found: Current budget posted
No budget for the fiscal year in progress (April 2026 to March 2027) was found; the site posts minutes of the March 23, 2026 public hearing on the proposed FY 2026/27 budget (opened 2026-09-27), not the budget.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Current budget posted
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Not found: Budgets for the past three years posted
No budgets were found on the home, Boards & Committees, Forms & Permits or Resources pages.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Budgets for the past three years posted
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Not found: Latest audit posted
No audit was found on the home, Boards & Committees, Forms & Permits or Resources pages.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Latest audit posted
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Not found: Budget posted as a spreadsheet or data file
No budget spreadsheet or data file was found.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Budget posted as a spreadsheet or data file
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Found: Regular meeting schedule for the year posted
The home page names the next Township Board meeting, September 28, 2026 (the Calendar page shows no events). Found under the publisher's rule of 2026-09-27: any upcoming meeting date posted counts.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Regular meeting schedule for the year posted
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Found: Agendas posted for the past 12 months
Board Meeting Agendas posts a monthly board agenda for September 2025 to August 2026, with special meeting notices.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Agendas posted for the past 12 months
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Not found: Minutes posted for the past 12 months
Board Meeting Minutes posts 2026 minutes for February to June, but for 2025 only January; no minutes for September 2025 to January 2026 were found, a gap of more than two months.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Minutes posted for the past 12 months
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Not found: Members' names and a way to contact them posted
Boards & Committees names the five board members, but gives email addresses only for the supervisor, clerk and treasurer; the two trustees have none, and no board contact form or phone is given (the Contact page gives the township office number).
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Members' names and a way to contact them posted
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Not found: Check register (payments) posted
No check register or payments list was found.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Check register (payments) posted
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Not found: Employee pay or salary schedule posted
No salary schedule, pay ranges or pay by position was found.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Employee pay or salary schedule posted
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Not found: Current contracts posted
No list of current contracts or contract in force was found.
Read September 27, 2026 on its website · Evidence for Current contracts posted
About
- Type
- Township
- County
- Kent County
- Website
- bownetwp.org
Codes
- Census of Governments ID
- 167076
- Census GEOID (county subdivision)
- 2608109780
- Michigan Treasury unit code
- 411040
Sources
Where this page's facts come from.
-
Government Unit Codes
Michigan Department of Treasury, State Tax Commission · 2023-11-22
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Government Units List, 2026
U.S. Census Bureau · 2026
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TIGER/Line Shapefiles 2025: Michigan county subdivisions
U.S. Census Bureau · 2025
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2025 Certified Property Tax Rates
Kent County Equalization Department · 2025
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FY2025 F65 Township Part 2
Michigan Department of Treasury · FY2025
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DashBoard_Metrics (MI Community Financial Dashboard)
Michigan Department of Treasury · Rows updated 2026-09-08
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Treasury Document Search, Kent County filings by year
Michigan Department of Treasury, Local Audit and Finance Division · queried 2026-09-27
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FOIA procedures and public summaries on Kent County's county, city, township and village websites
Each government's own website · read 2026-09-27
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Good-practice checks (G1-G12) on Kent County's county, city, township and village websites
Each government's own website · read 2026-09-27