All Districts — Tuesday, Aug. 6, Kent County voters will consider a one-year, non-renewable gap millage for the Kent District Library and a six-year renewal of the Ready by Five early childhood millage.
Kent District Library
The Kent District Library is seeking a one-year, non-renewable millage of 1.1 mills to support the library system’s 2025 operations. If approved, the millage will generate $27.6 million.
Kent County voters approved a 15-year renewal millage for KDL in November 2023, but the approved ballot language does not give KDL the authority to assess the new millage until December 2025, resulting in a one-year funding gap.
“More than 90% of KDL’s operating costs are paid by millage dollars,” said KDL Executive Director Lance Werner. “An issue with the 2023 millage dates occurred inadvertently and has resulted in our need to go back to voters for a one-year millage to fill this funding gap. There’s no overlap and no double-dipping.”
Read more about the KDL millage.
Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage
Kent County is seeking a no-tax increase renewal of .25 for the Ready by Five early childhood millage.
The .25 mill, six-year renewal would generate about $8.8 million in its first year and be used to expand access to early childhood programming. According to Ready by Five, the cost to an owner of a home valued at $300,000 would be about $37.50 per year, or $3.13 per month.
“The early childhood millage is really designed to fill in gap areas,” said Jennifer Headley-Nordman, president of First Steps Kent, which administers the millage for Kent County.
The millage does not duplicate funding or replace programs, but rather strengthens the entire early childhood ecosystem, Headley-Nordman said, so parents and children really get the most benefit before the children enter kindergarten.
Read more about the Ready by Five proposal.
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