Troy Residents Gather To Discuss Library Millage, Taxes

Discussions Wednesday about the future of the turned contentious among taxpayers attending a meeting regarding the city’s special election on Aug. 2.

About a dozen residents met at the Troy Community Center for the first in a series of meetings related to a proposed 0.7-mill increase that would establish dedicated funding for the city’s library. The city plans to close the library on Aug. 12 if the new tax doesn’t gain voter approval.

While the majority of individuals attending the meeting voiced desires to maintain library operations, several questioned the need for an increase in property taxes.

“The point of the Aug. 2 election is: Do you want a Troy Public Library, and if you do it will take .7 mills to do that,” councilwoman Robin Baltramini said. “If you don’t, the library will close, because this council is done.”

The cost of holding the special election is about $100,000. Baltramini said hosting the special election in August is about $500,000 cheaper than the alternative of putting the dedicated millage on the November ballot and funding library opeations until then.

City staff said it costs about $220,000 each month to run the library at its current level of operation. 

Baltramini joined library director Cathy Russ and assistant director Philip Kwik in answering questions, which veered off topic several times and spiraled into a debate over whether the proposed tax increase is necessary.

Dave Henderson, a member of Troy Citizens United, voiced concern that the proposed millage, if approved, would open the door to a list of additional tax increases for other departments and public works projects.

“You can’t prove that there won’t be any,” Henderson said, confirming that no other millage increases have been proposed by the city’s governing body.

He said he affiliated himself with the citizens united group because it opposes tax increases. A statement on the group’s website claims the city’s governing body is “threatening to close the library and continues to expend resources unnecessarily.”

Members of Save Troy, a group in favor of saving the library, also attended the meeting.

Speaking to library-specific questions, Russ said little can be done to increase revenue at the library.

“We are charging for everything we can possibly charge for under the law,” Russ said. “Friends of the Library funds programs with the condition that they are offered for free.”

Additional community meetings regarding the library and the Aug. 2 special election are scheduled for:

• Thursday, July 7, 1:30 p.m., Troy Community Center Room 301
• Monday, July 11, 11 a.m., Troy Community Center Room 301
• Tuesday, July 12, 7 p.m., Troy Community Center, Room 302
• Wednesday, July 13, 10 a.m., Troy Community Center Room 302
• Thursday, July 14, 2 p.m., Troy Community Center Room 301
• Monday, July 18, 10 a.m., Troy Community Center Room 301
• Monday, July 18, 7 p.m., Community of Christ Church, 3830 Crooks
• Tuesday, July 19, 1 p.m., Troy Community Center Room 305
• Tuesday, July 19, 7 p.m., Big Beaver United Methodist, 3753 John R
• Wednesday, July 20, 1:30 p.m., Troy Community Center Room 303