At the April 17th Library Board meeting, the Library Board of Trustrees approved the millage request for the August
5th election.
Here is the millage request as it will appear on the ballot:
Here is the millage request as it will appear on the ballot:
Library Millage Proposal
Shall
the DeWitt District Library, County of Clinton, levy an amount not to exceed .9998
mill ($.9998 on each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable real and
tangible personal property within the DeWitt District Library District for a
period of fifteen (15) years, 2014 to 2028, inclusive, of which .4998 mill is a
renewal of the millage rate that expired in 2013 and .5 mill is new additional
millage, for the purpose of providing funds for all district library purposes
authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue the DeWitt District Library will
collect if the millage is approved and levied by the Library in the 2014
calendar year is approximately $646,000.
Since 2008, the library has lost 12% of its’ revenue due to declining
property taxes as well as additional reductions in penal fines and in aid from
the State of Michigan. These reductions
in conjunction with rising operational costs (utilities, technology costs, health insurance, etc) have made it difficult for the library to operate on the .4998 mill
it has been levying for the last 15 years.
If the millage passes, the Library Board plans to immediately restore library hours of operation, allowing us to be open every morning and every weekday evening Monday through Thursday. In addition, we will purchase more new books and bestsellers and will offer more storytimes and programs for children, teens, and adults. The additional revenue will also make it possible for the library to do needed repairs to the building such a repaving the
parking lot and repairing brickwork around the building.
