Michigan House of Representatives passes bill to create museum tax authority – Michigan Capitol Confidential

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If implemented, the plan could cost Oakland County taxpayers $167 million over 10 years.

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Some Michigan residents may have to pay more in property taxes for museums they don’t necessarily visit, according to a new bill passed by the Michigan House of Representatives that would allow counties to create a historical museum authority that would collect new property taxes to fund Detroit’s historical museums.

Representatives passed House Bill 4177 by a vote of 56 to 53. The bill, called the History Museum Authorities Act, targets Oakland and Wayne counties. It would allow the counties to set up an authority that, with voter approval, could collect property taxes of up to 0.2 per thousand for up to 10 years.

The agency could then direct tax revenue to county historical museums or to historical museums in the city of Detroit.

Democratic Rep. Tyrone Carter of Detroit sponsored the bill, which would match the tax imposed on residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties that funds the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Carter said the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History needs the funds, as does the Detroit Historical Society, which operates the Detroit Historical Museum and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

“We heard testimony in committee from the leadership of both organizations about the underfunding and high levels of deferred maintenance for their museums,” Carter said in a statement. “These cultural resources of our community deserve sustained financial support. With this legislation, residents can enjoy the benefits and access to the museums.”

The nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency has not estimated the potential costs for the two districts.

The Republican caucus in the House of Representatives made projections for Oakland and Wayne counties, assuming a tax collection of 0.2 per thousand between 2024 and 2033 and an annual growth of 2% in taxable property value.

The forecast found that the plan would cost Oakland County residents approximately $167 million and Wayne County residents $114 million over ten years.

Republican state Rep. Mike Harris of Waterford opposed the bill.

“Property taxes should support essential municipal services, but this proposal could tax Oakland County homeowners to subsidize museums in Detroit they may never visit,” Harris said in a statement. “Taxpayers in our county already subsidize an art museum and city-area buses, regardless of whether we use them. People can voluntarily support historical education by paying museum admission fees or making donations.”

The bill, HB 4177, was submitted to the Senate for review and then referred to the Committee on Finance, Insurance and Consumer Protection.