Grosse Pointe City voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve a new public safety special assessment and renew an existing Grosse Pointe Public Library millage.

The public safety proposal would authorize an annual assessment of up to 1.25 mills for police and fire equipment and operations. For a property with the city’s cited average taxable value of $225,000, the full assessment would cost $281.25 annually, according to the city’s proposal page.

The separate library proposal would continue the current supplemental tax rate. At that same taxable value, the library levy would cost $144.72 annually.

Public safety assessment

The four-year assessment would be levied from 2026 through 2029 to support public safety expenses in calendar years 2027 through 2030. If fully levied in December 2026, it would generate an estimated $613,750 in its first year.

City Manager Joseph Valentine told the council June 15 that the department had $1.4 million in capital needs over four years, including radios, bunker gear, a fire truck, patrol cars, automated external defibrillators, protective vests and safety equipment, according to council minutes.

The department’s annual budget was $4.1 million. Valentine said the assessment would cover roughly 15% of its budgeted expenses.

The council unanimously approved the ballot language July 13, according to its meeting minutes.

The city says special assessment revenue is not subject to Headlee rollbacks. Individual bills would still depend on taxable value and the rate levied, up to the authorized maximum.

If voters reject the measure, the city says it would need alternative funding, delayed purchases or longer use of aging equipment.

Library millage renewal

The library is asking voters to renew its supplemental 0.6432-mill levy for 15 years, from 2028 through 2042. The current authorization expires at the end of 2027.

The proposal would maintain the existing rate, according to the library’s fall newsletter. The levy provides approximately 30% of annual library revenue.

A property with $150,000 in taxable value would pay $96.48 annually; one with $400,000 in taxable value would pay $257.28. Property owners should use taxable value from their tax statement to calculate their cost.

Library Director Jessica Keyser discussed the proposal at a Sept. 16 League of Women Voters forum, C&G Newspapers reported.

“We would not be able to offer the level of service we do currently” without renewal, Keyser said.

She said failure would mean daytime-only hours Monday through Thursday, fewer new materials and potential cuts to story times, teen programs, homebound outreach and author presentations.

Nearly half of circulation is digital, Keyser said. Library e-books typically cost $40 to $60 per title, compared with consumer prices of $13 to $15.

The library operates Central, Woods and Ewald branches. Its permanent and supplemental levies total about 2.06 mills, and its previous annual operating budget was approximately $8.369 million, according to C&G.

Early voting runs Oct. 24 through Nov. 1. Residents can find voting details on the city’s election information page. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.