Fate of Detroit Library rests with property tax vote

(The Center Square) – The fate of Detroit Public Library's funding relies upon Proposal L, a property tax proposal that makes up 85% of its budget.

Prop L would renew 3.994 mills for the next 10 years. One mill equates to a 10th of a cent, which would be applied to Detroit residents’ property value. For example, a home with a $50,000 taxable value would pay about $199.72 in taxes per year. The tax would continue to be applied to the main library and its 21 branches.

The proposal is not a new property tax, rather the renewal of an ongoing tax that voters approved in 2014.

According to data provided by the library, tax captures took away nearly $4 million from the system’s funding in 2023. This process is when the city of Detroit takes some of the funding to use toward other projects, such as economic development. The city budget estimates the library will need $38.9 million in 2025.

The Detroit Public Library is the second largest in the state by collection size. Located in midtown, the main campus offers not just books, but also mobile hotspots, employment help, laptop rentals and research services.