What does a district library mean to me?

Residents of the Frankenmuth School District will have the opportunity to ensure high quality library services for the next generation with the establishment of a district library. The newly reorganized Frankenmuth James E. Wickson District Library will encompass the same service area as the Frankenmuth School District with the exception of portions of the district already served by another district library.   

In September of 2007, the Frankenmuth City Council and the Frankenmuth School District agreed to collaborate on this important community issue, appointing a District Library Exploratory Committee.  Committee membership includes representatives of the Frankenmuth City and Township, Frankenmuth School District and Blumfield Township.  The formal District Library agreement is expected to be signed by the City Council and the School District in March.  Although the formation of the district library does not require a vote, the necessary millage to fund the library does.  The committee anticipates that the millage proposal will be on the November 2008 ballot.

Why a district library?
Since 1974, the library has been funded primarily by the residents of the city along with state aid and penal fines.  The State has drastically cut state aid, penal fines have been reduced 25% and the City's contributions to the library have been decreased due to overall budget cuts.  Current library operations are being funded using a significant portion of our fund balance.  A district-wide millage is an equitable way to provide secure and stable funding for the future of the library.

Who uses the library?
The area served by the district library is the Frankenmuth School District. 
87% of the households in the school district have current library registrations.
  Registered households by municipality:
   Frankenmuth city :             92%
   Frankenmuth township:     85%
   Blumfield township:           63%

What will the district library cost?
The proposed millage rate is .85 mills. The Library Board has determined that this is sufficient to continue to provide the services that the community expects while continuing to be conscious of the need for frugality.
This would be a millage increase for taxpayers in Frankenmuth and Blumfield Townships.
It would not be an increase for City of Frankenmuth taxpayers, as they are already paying to support the library.  The Frankenmuth City Council has committed to decrease the general fund millage by an amount equal to the library millage.  Approval of the .85 millage will require voter approval.

What will the millage cost me?
The cost to the average homeowner will be $76.50 per year.  This is based on a home walue of $180,000. (typical home value for this area per the U.S. Census 2006 community survey estimates).

What is the effect of the proposed millage on City of Frankenmuth taxpayers?
A portion of the millage that taxpayers pay to the city's general fund is used to support library operations.  The City Council will decrease the general fund millage rate by an amount equivalent to the library millage.  The total millage paid by city residents remains the same.
Example: a home with a $180,000 market value.
     Current city taxes :
         City general fund (9.6) mills         $864
     Proposed city taxes :
         City general fund (8.75 mills)      $788
         District library (.85)                          76
                                                                $864

How does the millage rate compare with neighboring communities?


How are other libraries funded?
Statewide, the majority of libraries are organized as district libraries.  67% of all library funding comes from local library millages.  Wickson Library is in the 12% of libraries statewide that operate primarily on general fund appropriations. 

Why should I support the millage?
Wickson Library services are tailored to the needs of our community.  The Board is comprised of local residents.  If we were unable to sustain our own library, the State could require us to contract with another area library system and our tax dollars would go there.

What is Wickson Library worth to the Frankenmuth Community? 
Last year, Wickson Library patrons checked out more than 95,000 items.  If patrons had to purchase the books, audios, DVDs and CDs, the cost would have been close to $2.7 million!
Computers were used for almost 20,000 hours.  If these computer users had gone to a commercial provider, they would have had to pay around $10 per hour, or $200,000.
Attendance at children's programs was approximately 1,700.  If the library had charged an admission fee of $3 per child, attendees would have paid $5,100.