Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills schools stand to lose $781 per student in annual funding after Oakland County's proposed enhancement millage fell behind in unofficial returns from Tuesday's primary election.

With 91% of precincts reporting as of 5:50 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, the No side led 51% to 49%. The margin: fewer than 7,000 votes.

The result flipped overnight. At 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Yes side held a razor-thin lead of 50.1% to 49.5% with roughly 212,000 votes counted, according to the Oakland County Clerk's Office. The lead changed hands multiple times before the No side pulled ahead in the early morning hours, WXYZ reported.

The Detroit News updated its headline Wednesday morning to read "Oakland County school enhancement millage rejected in close contest," though the outcome remains unofficial and must be certified by the Oakland County Board of Canvassers.

What was at stake

The 1.5-mill levy would have lasted six years and generated an estimated $125 million per year countywide in its first year, split equally among 28 school districts including Birmingham Public Schools and Bloomfield Hills Schools. For property owners, the cost worked out to $1.50 per year for every $1,000 of taxable value, or $450 annually on a home with $300,000 in taxable value. If approved, the charge would have appeared on winter tax bills as early as December.

Districts could have spent the money on any operational purpose: teacher salaries, transportation, athletics, mental health supports or curriculum.

The arguments

Opponents pointed to the lack of a required spending plan and rising tax burdens. Janet Watson of White Lake told WXYZ on July 22 that the proposal lacked spending specifics and would pile onto already-rising property tax bills for residents who see no guarantee the money reaches their local district.

Supporters argued schools need funding flexibility to compete for teachers and keep pace with inflation. Erin Reynoso, a 28-year Southfield Public Schools teacher whose daughter attends Berkley schools, told the Detroit News on Election Day why she voted yes. "We just have to make Michigan a better place to be a teacher because I've seen who's coming behind me. There's no one," Reynoso said. "Teachers coming in now don't even get a pension as I have. So there has to be some other sort of carrot."

What happens next

The Oakland County Board of Canvassers must certify the final count before the result is official. A certification date has not been announced. Residents can track updated results through the Oakland County Clerk's website.