KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Voters in Kent County approved a new reduced operating millage for the county's library system on Tuesday.
The Kent District Library's (KDL) millage has been renewed for 15 years, avoiding the closure of 20 libraries serving 27 municipalities in the county. The previous millage was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2024.
The millage overwhelmingly passed by nearly 40,000 votes.
This new millage is levied at 1.1 mills, or $1.10 for each $1,000 of state-equalized value of their home.
The library says that despite the reduction in the millage, the library will still offer the same services residents enjoy now.
The millage will generate $26.6 million in its first year to cover the expense of materials (physical and digital) available for checkout, staff (wages and benefits), programs and events, library services (such as tech tutoring), technology (public computers, printers, self-check kiosks, etc.) and rent to the municipalities that own and maintain library buildings.
Lance Warner, executive director of KDL, said library staff appreciate the community showing their support.
"Well, to me, I mean, it really indicates that the residents of Kent County, much as we said last time, really value their civil rights, really appreciate the library's position on their civil rights and really understand that the library stands for the people," he said.
In 2014 the KDL millage was approved by more than 8,000 votes.
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