Library millage overwhelmingly approved

By Lisa Brody

With almost 73 percent approval, on Tuesday, February 27, Bloomfield Township voters approved a millage renewal of .5057 mill for 10 years to maintain the existing level of funding for Bloomfield Township Public Library.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, township voters overwhelmingly supported renewing the current millage, with 72.5 percent of the vote, 9,319 voters, approving the millage, to 27.5 percent (3,538 voters) voting against.

The renewal request will not increase current tax payments, and will continue to cost the average township taxpayer approximately $151 per year on a home with a taxable value of $300,000, according to library director Tera Moon.

According to Moon, this funding accounts for approximately 27 percent of the library's current total revenues. With the millage approval, she said, “The library will work to achieve the goals of the 2023-2025 strategic plan and continue its award-winning operations of the last several years.”

If it had failed, there would have been serious cuts to hours, services, staffing, and programming, she noted.

On Wednesday, February 28, assistant library director Katherine Bryant sent out an email thanking the community for its support. “These results are a powerful endorsement of the value Bloomfield Township Public Library brings to the community, and it will help ensure that we can continue to provide vital services and resources to all residents. With your support, we can sustain our current service levels, expand our collections, enhance our programs and digital resources, and continue to improve our facilities, making the Library an even more valuable resource for everyone. Your vote truly makes a difference, and we are incredibly grateful for your support.”