The DIA millage had a strong marketing campaign. (Graphic: Facebook)
Some said the renewal of a 0.2-mill tax to support the Detroit Institute of Arts would be a tougher sell than its initial passage in 2012, and might even face defeat in Macomb County. But it looks like some were wrong -- the millage swept to easy passage in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb, by healthy margins.
The DIA millage was initially approved after Detroit exited bankruptcy, to give the museum a financial cushion and support for its new business model, which protected its collection from the city's creditors and extended free admission to tri-county residents. The millage was for 10 years, and renewing it three years early, and in a March primary which would see a lopsided Democratic turnout, was seen by critics as gamesmanship to favor a victory.
Whatever the strategy, it was successful; the millage passed with 76 percent of the vote in Wayne and Oakland counties, and 62 percent in Macomb, a wider margin than its initial passage in 2012.
The Detroit News reports:
DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons thanked Metro Detroiters for supporting the tax.
"The DIA millage renewal will ensure the museum can continue offering free field trips and free transportation to (80,000) students from local schools each year and free programming for local seniors," Salort-Pons told The Detroit News Tuesday night. "The millage also ensures free access to the DIA’s unique collection of art, culture and history for Macomb, Oakland and Wayne County residents."
... The millage renewal will go into effect when the current millage expires in two years. DIA officials said the tax will cost $15 a year for a home valued at $150,000.
