KENT COUNTY — Voters approved a 15-year operating millage for the Kent District Library on Tuesday, 77%-23%.
The millage rate is actually 10.9% less than the previous KDL millage. According to KDL, the lower millage will save taxpayers $3.1 million annually or $46.5 million over its life.
With the lower rate, the average household will pay $145.75 a year, or $2.80 a week.
Executive Director Lance Werner explained to FOX 17 that they can levy a lower tax rate because taxable values across the county have gone up, adding that new technologies have helped the library become more efficient and cut back on unnecessary labor costs.
Instead, they're able to rededicate labor to more "forward-facing endeavors."
Werner adds the average person gets over $1,300 worth of services and emphasizes that the millage reduction won't have any negative impact on those services.
Those services include things like physical and digital books, music and movies, WiFi hot spots, research services and other educational programming.
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