Publication select ▼
FARMINGTON/FARMINGTON HILLS — Residents of Farmington and Farmington Hills will decide whether to approve a Farmington Community Library 20-year tax renewal of just under 1 mill on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.
According to ballot language, the estimate of the revenue that would be collected in 2025 if the proposal passes is approximately $4.75 million.
The Farmington Community Library has a location in Farmington, at 23500 Liberty St., and in Farmington Hills, 32737 W. 12 Mile Road.
Sarah Zitter Masindi, who is the library’s marketing and community relations director, shared more details about the proposal.
“It is just a renewal of the current rate that we levy during the summer property tax season, and this one accounts for about 55% of the library’s revenue, on average, each year,” Zitter Masindi said. “We do not have any special plans that this money would go towards, outside of what we generally do on an average year for our services.”
According to Zitter Masindi, the majority of the library’s budget goes towards staffing and collection development, with building updates and maintenance repairs also included as part of the budget.
In an email Zitter Masindi stated that according to the 2024-2025 approved budget, the projected total amount to be allocated for payroll expenses this fiscal year is $4,528,324.
She also stated that for this coming fiscal year, the projected numbers for books is $303,000, for eBooks it is $107,000, for audio/visual it is $53,700, for information resources it is $241,600, for video/DVD/movie collection it is $68,450, and for newspapers and periodicals it is $38,000, which totals $811,750.
In regard to the 0.9264-mill renewal rate, the cost for each property owner can be calculated by multiplying the taxable value of their property by the millage rate and dividing it by 1,000.
Property tax values can be found on property tax statements and by checking with the local assessor’s office.
It is typically equal to 50% of the market value of a property.
With the Farmington Community Library’s proposal calling for a millage not to exceed 0.9264 mill, according to Zitter Masindi, for a homeowner with a taxable value of $250,000, at the current rate, that would come out to $231.35 per year for 20 years.
The wording on the ballot also states that a portion of the revenue collected may be subject to capture by the city of Farmington Downtown Development Authority and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, as well as the Grand River Corridor Improvement Authority.
“Specifically for the DDA, that’s something that we work with them a lot because we are part of that district in downtown Farmington,” Zitter Masindi said. “We think it’s important that we contribute to it because downtown Farmington contributes a lot to the library, as well as the community as a whole.”
According to information sent by Zitter Masindi from the “DDA Annual Report on Status of Tax Increment Financing Plan FY 2023,” the DDA captured $25,894 from library millages, with $2,891 being captured from the CIA, according to the “Corridor Improvement Authority Annual Report on Status of Tax Increment Financing Plan for Fiscal Years ending in 2023.”
Zitter Masindi discussed the timing of the proposal, with many people being impacted by inflation.
“This current millage is expiring at the end of this year, so 20 years ago, when we put it to our voters, we didn’t necessarily know what inflation or the economy would look like at this specific point in time,” she said. “I think all of us who work at the library, we’re voters, we live in the community as well — all of us are affected by inflation, and I think every time voters go to the poll, we all vote with what our specific priorities are, what we feel is very valuable to the community.”
From the perspective of Jillian Baker, who is an assistant director at the library, the proposal is to keep the status quo.
“It’s just to continue to offer the services we’ve always been offering,” Baker said. “It’s simply to continue to provide staffing and collections and everything else that we’ve always offered.”
Farmington Hills resident Kathy Reno is a supporter of the millage.
“I’m for the millage because the library offers so many opportunities to families,” Reno said. “It’s a community. You can come here (and) meet people. … I think it’s important to support the millage.”
Farmington Hills resident Hal Light said that the library is very important to him.
“We’re customers, and they’re taking very good care of us,” Light said. “I’ve lived in this community for 30 years, and this library’s been a good source for me. It’s been a good relationship for me to have a library like this.”
For Farmington Hills resident Ronda Dewald, what the Farmington Community Library offers is worth the cost in taxes.
“I read a lot, so I’m willing to pay the extra to have the libraries, rather than have to buy the books,” Dewlald said. “I’m a big supporter for the library.”
According to Zitter Masindi, the current winter millage rate for the Farmington Community Library is 0.5424 mills, which she said she believes expires in 2032 and accounts for about 32% of the library’s operating budget.
Zitter Masindi, stated that if the proposal does not pass the library will need to reduce services, beginning next July.
“Some of the affected services would include things like our public service desk staffing, building hours, and purchasing for different library collections,” she said. “We do not have a specific plan that is laid out because final decisions … would be determined by our board of trustees.”
For those who have questions about the proposal, there are resources.
“I’m not sure what to anticipate this time around, but staff are well-prepared with all of the information and we’re happy to answer any questions,” Baker said. “We will have all of the information on our website.”
For more information, visit farmlib.org/millage.
For financial information about the library, visit farmlib.org/about-us/financial-information.
BALLOT LANGUAGE:
Shall the Farmington Community Library, County of Oakland, be authorized to levy annually a renewal of the previously authorized millage, which expires in 2024, in an amount not to exceed .9264 mill ($0.9264 per each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the Farmington Community Library district for a period of twenty (20) years, 2025 to 2044, inclusive, for the purpose of providing funds for all district library purposes authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue the District Library will collect in the first year of levy (2025) if the millage is approved and levied by the District Library is approximately $4,750,000. A portion of the revenue collected may be subject to capture by the City of Farmington Downtown Development Authority and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the City of Farmington Hills Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, and the Grand River Corridor Improvement Authority.
You May Also Be Interested In
