candgnews.com OCTOBER 16, 2024 Vol. 22, No. 23
PARKS MILLAGE Vote Nov. 5 Great Parks and Connected Communities A Greener, More Resilient Future
STARTS CLEARING THE AIR ON VAPING RISKS SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH ON 8A
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FRANKLIN PROPOSES LIBRARY TAX BY MARY GENSON
mgenson@candgnews.com
FRANKLIN — Voters in the village of Franklin will decide on a 0 .2018 mill library tax Nov. 5. The library’s current tax was first approved in 1973 for 1 mill. Due to the Headlee Amendment, that amount was reduced to under 0.6 mill. Officials said the proposal would replace funds lost to the Headlee Amendment over time — amounting to over 40% over the last 50 years. The Headlee Amendment to the Michigan Constitution requires local governments to reduce their millage rates if taxable values go up higher than the rate of inflation. It was, in part, designed to protect property owners from tax increases due to property values increasing beyond the rate of inflation. Instead of changing the original tax of 1 mill, the measure would be a new tax of just over 20 cents on each $1,000 of taxable value. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. It is estimated that the village would collect approximately $90,000 in the first year of the levy.
Franklin voters will come across a village library millage proposal on their November ballots.
See LIBRARY TAX on page 14A
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
Birmingham Village Players tackle mental health in upcoming show BIRMINGHAM — Hear rock, jazz and classical music in the Birmingham Village Player’s emotional production of “Next to Normal.” The show will run Oct. 25-Nov. 10. Mental illness is one of the major themes of “Next to
Normal.” The story revolves around Diana, a suburban mother who has bipolar disorder, and her family. Patricia Rutkey plays Diana in the musical. She has performed with the Birmingham Village Players before, but it’s been 17 years. She said one of the best parts of the role was finding the realness of the character as she seeks to humanize her rather than to make her into a caricature.
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“I think it is a really important message, because despite everything the world has gone through as it pertains to mental health, it still just isn’t really discussed openly and freely,” Rutkey said. “That is why I feel like this story and the message is just so important, because I feel like it is a way to tell this story and get a message regarding
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BY MARY GENSON mgenson@candgnews.com