Library Budget: Millage Rate Unchanged

The Ann Arbor District Library board has authorized its fiscal 2013-14 budget with a millage rate of 1.55 mills – unchanged from the current rate. The action took place at the board’s May 6, 2013 meeting. [.pdf of budget summary from AADL board meeting packet]

The $12.328 million budget assumes a 2.1% increase in tax revenues, based on an increase in property values. The approved budget and millage rate are slightly lower than the draft proposal presented at the AADL board’s April 15, 2013 meeting. At that time, trustee Ed Surovell argued strongly against even the slightest increase in the millage rate, which had been proposed at 1.575 mills. The library is authorized to levy up to 1.92 mills, but in recent years the board has set the millage rate at lower levels.

The budget reflects a 3% increase in the merit raise pool for full-time employees and an increase in hourly base rates for part-time workers. The base rate for part-time workers – known as “casual” employees – hadn’t been raised since 2008, and the administration wanted to make sure that the library’s lower-paying jobs started at more than $9 per hour.

The budget and millage rate were approved in separate votes. A third vote designated the budget as a line-item budget with a policy for disbursements. All votes were unanimous.

This brief was filed from the fourth-floor conference room of the downtown library at 343 S. Fifth. A more detailed report will follow: [link]