CHARLOTTE — A proposal to renew an existing tax to fund the Charlotte Community Library will be decided by voters in August.
The 10-year tax, set to expire in 2027, generates more than $800,000 a year and serves as the library’s main funding source, covering about 85% of its operational budget.
Here’s what voters need to know about the proposal and what it funds before they vote on Aug. 4.
What is the proposal asking for?
If voters approve the library proposal, 1.4 mills would be levied on property in the library’s coverage area. That includes the cities of Charlotte and Olivet and the townships of Eaton and Carmel, Library Director Jessica Sulecki said. The proposal would restore the existing millage, currently at 1.364 mills, to a full 1.4 mills. The existing millage was gradually rolled back .0356 mills because of the Headlee Amendment. The ballot includes language letting voters know officials want to restore the tax to its full amount.
How long will the tax be levied?
The tax would be levied for 10 years, from 2028 through 2037.
How much will the tax cost property owners?
A mill is $1 on every $1,000 of a home’s taxable value. The owner of a home with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay $140 a year if the tax is approved by voters.
How much money does the tax generate?
The tax would generate about $885,000 in the first year for library operations.
What does the tax pay for?
The tax funds 85% of the library’s budget, Sulecki said. State aid makes up 9% of the budget and the rest is funded through library service fees, she said.
“It supports the bulk of the library services,” Sulecki said. “We like to say that everything you could possibly do in the building is open to anybody, whether they are a taxpayer in our service area or not.”
That includes a full slate of year-round adult and youth programming, access to Wi-Fi, computers, study rooms, notary services, as well as printing, faxing and scanning.
Library card holders have access to the library’s books, in several formats, including physical, audio and digital. Just over 11,000 people have cards, Sulecki said.
The library employs a staff of 18 people, including five full-time positions.
Contact Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @GrecoatLSJ.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Charlotte Community Library millage on ballot. What you need to know
Reporting by Rachel Greco, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Rachel Greco, Lansing State Journal | USA TODAY Network
