Farmington Community Library Proposes 20-year Tax Renewal

Farmington Community Library Proposes 20-year Tax Renewal

The citizens of Farmington and Farmington Hills are posed to make a crucial decision regarding the continuation
of the Farmington Community Library’s funding. The 20-year tax renewal is set to appear on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.
The library anticipates it would collect approximately $4.75 million in 2025, if voters opt for the renewal. The library has two locations,
one in Farmington and another in Farmington Hills, offering a host of resources and services for the community.

Speaking about the tax renewal, Sarah Zitter Masindi, the Community Relations Director at the library, explained that the tax
offers a significant contribution to the library’s revenue, accounting for 55% of the income on average, each year. She also clarified that
there are no specific projects that the funds are targetted for, aside from the usual annual costs of running the library’s services.

The majority of the budget is dedicated to staffing and developing collections, while a portion also addresses maintenance and
building updates. A projected amount of $4,528,324 is expected to be allocated towards payroll expenses for the fiscal year 2024-2025.
The numbers projected for this year’s resources will allocate $303,000 for books, $107,000 for eBooks, $53,700 for audio/visual,
$241,600 for information resources, $68,450 for video/DVD/movie collection, and $38,000 for newspapers and periodicals.

To calculate the individual cost of the tax renewal, property owners can multiply the taxable value of their property by the millage rate
(0.9264 mill for this proposal) and divide it by 1,000. Importantly, the tax renewal is also set to contribute to the local Development Authorities,
including the city of Farmington Downtown Development Authority and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, and the Grand River Corridor Improvement Authority.

The proposal outlines that a portion of the revenue collected may be subject to capture by these organizations, a point that
Zitter Masindi was keen to stress. She noted that the library often cooperates with the DDA due to its location within the district
in downtown Farmington and believes it’s important to contribute to it due to the support the library receives from the community.

The tax renewal proposal has come in the midst of inflation concerns, however, the library argues that it is merely asking for a continuation
of the existing millage rate. In the event the proposal does not pass, the library will have to consider reducing its services from next July.

Public Opinions

Residents of Farmington and Farmington Hills have shown varied reactions to the proposal. Kathy Reno, a resident of Farmington Hills, supports
the millage by stating, “I’m for the millage because the library offers so many opportunities to families… I think it’s important to support the millage.”
Another resident, Hal Light echoed this sentiment, stating the library’s importance to him. Ronda Dewald, another resident, believes that the cost of
the tax is worth the services that the library provides to the community.

In the event that voters have any questions or require further clarification on the matter, they are advised to visit the library’s website.