The Loutit District Library August 6, 2024, Millage
This August, the Loutit District Library will be on the Ottawa County primary election ballot with a millage ask. We want to make sure our community is adequately informed of the upcoming millage request. Below includes information on what a millage is, why the Loutit District Library is making this request, what changes would be able to occur with a passing vote, and what the millage means to the average taxpayer. The official ballot language can also be found below.
For any questions regarding the August 6 millage request, please give us a call at (616)850-6900 or leave a comment below.
What Is a Millage?
“A millage rate is the rate at which property taxes are levied on property. Property taxes are computed by multiplying the taxable value of the property by the number of mills levied, where a mill is 1/1000 of a dollar.”
Source: michigan.gov
“A millage is a tax on property, levied at the local, municipal level after being approved through a popular vote on a ballot initiative. The millage is the amount per $1,000 of the taxable value of property.”
Source: milibraries.org
For example, a .1 mill tax rate on a home valued at $100,000 would generate $10 in taxes.
What Is a Headlee Override?
“The Headlee Amendment and Proposal A certainly protected property owners from increases in taxes by rolling back the tax rate (millage). They have also limited local government revenue, in some cases, to the point where they contribute to budget constraints. With revenue growth limited, even local units that have been fiscally conservative are finding themselves facing uncertain budget situations. […]
Because of this, some local government units turn to what’s known as a Headlee Override. A Headlee Override involves asking the voters to approve raising the millage rate to its original rate after it has been forced to be rolled back because of growth in property values.”
Source: msu.edu
Why the Loutit District Library Is on the Ballot August 6, 2024:
- The Library’s approved millage rate decreases annually due to the Headlee Rollback – it decreased from the community-approved rate of 1 mill to .9410 mill beginning with the July 1, 2025 tax year.
- Fixed expenses have risen faster than property tax increases. For instance, two primary vendors raised annual costs 12-18%.
- A portion of the library’s taxes are captured for local projects.
- Revenue from penal fines has decreased.
- Additionally, revenue from Port Sheldon taxes has been reduced due to the closure of the Campbell Generating Plant.
- The library wants to increase services to meet community needs.
What the Library Is Offering Now:
Aside from print and digital books, music, magazines, and movies….
- Numerous adult, teen, and children’s programs:
- Storytimes, yoga, StoryWalks®, escape rooms, and much more for kids
- Trivia nights, Sunday music concerts, history programs, Speed Friending, Coffee & Coloring, crafts, and many more programs for adults.
- Study, meeting, and program rooms for the community to use.
- Staff who specialize in assisting with technology, educational research, and genealogy.
- Availability to return books via the Robinson Township Drop Box.
- The Grand Adventure Summer Reading and Winter Reading Challenges.
- A month-long celebration of community and connection with Kindness Month in February.
- Collaboration with small, local businesses during September’s Show Your Library Card event.
- And so much more!
Just added! A new vinyl album collection and media center room with record player listening stations, all donated by Burton Brooks and the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation. The albums can be checked out, along with a record player if needed, starting June 7th.
What the Loutit District Library Will Offer With This Supplemental Millage Request:
- Expand general library hours and services.
- Expand Local History & Genealogy hours and services – Loutit District Library is now the main provider of genealogy services in Ottawa County.
- Develop an outreach program to connect with more seniors and children in the library district, expand services to rural areas and small businesses, and provide homebound delivery.
- Staff a planned community maker/artisan space that will be made possible through donations.
- Add lockers in Robinson Township for the delivery of materials, as a compliment to the already available book drop.
What the 10-Year Millage Means to Taxpayers:
- A 10-year supplemental rate of .1557, which will cost taxpayers $15.57 per $100,000 assessed property value.
- The millage will generate approximately $450,000 annually for the library.
- More outreach, rural, and in-house services for the community.
What the Library Millage Proposal Will Look Like on the Ballot:
Shall the Loutit District Library, County of Ottawa, Michigan, be authorized to levy annually a new additional millage in an amount not to exceed .1557 mill ($0.1557 per each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the Loutit District Library district for a period of ten (10) years, 2025 to 2034, inclusive, for the purpose of restoring the millage rate previously authorized and providing additional funds for all district library purposes authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue the Loutit District Library will collect if the millage is approved and levied by the Loutit District Library in the first year (2025) is approximately $450,000. By law, a portion of the revenue from the millage may be subject to capture by the City of Grand Haven Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. A portion of the revenue from this millage will be disbursed to the Howard Miller Public Library (Zeeland) pursuant to a contract.
Yes □
No □
