West Bloomfield Library Requesting Additional Funding this November

West Bloomfield Library Requesting Additional Funding this November

At West Bloomfield Township Public Library, matters are gearing up for the coming November elections. The local library has decided to put a proposal on the ballot for residents to consider. They’re asking folks to say ‘yes’ to replacing the existing 0.6586 mills library tax, accepted back in 2010 and due to end in 2026, with a new 0.7 mills. It’s all about how much your home is worth with 7 cents for every $1,000 of a home’s taxable value.

Cathy Russ, the library director, knows when tax propositions arise, people need to know what it’s going to cost them. Currently, the typical taxpayer in West Bloomfield dishes out about $241 yearly for library services, calculated on property valuations. If voters give the green light to the proposal, this would increase to $258.84 per annum until 2033 – an increase of just $17.84.

One point worth noting is that part of that yearly amount is a millage that is, in Cathy’s words, “in perpetuity – which means it can go on forever.” Consider it like a lifetime subscription, the first part of which was agreed upon when residents decided they wanted a library. Since established, it’s rolled back to 0.7108 mill from an original 1 mill.

The library board unanimously agreed to put the proposal on the November ballot. Carol A. Kravetz, the board’s president, stated that avoiding a special election and saving the library around $100,000 in costs was a key factor in the decision. Carol also expressed her concern about the need to replace the roof and work on the HVAC system for the library’s two buildings.

If the request falls short of the mark, current tax rates will continue until 2026. “We would have to figure something out…We probably would have to go for a special election in 2025,” claims Russ. So, what’s the plan for this extra cash? Think replacing old building components, enhanced technology, improved meeting spaces, and expanding the library’s digital collection. And that’s not forgetting the ongoing running of two library facilities.

Residents can attend public information meetings to learn more details about the tax levy or visit the library to see the labor of love firsthand. Its leaders insist they’re putting on a simple and reasonable case, striking a balance between caring for the community’s resources and citizens’ wallets, all while keeping an eye on changing conditions in the economy.