Zoo and museum millage renewal
Voters will decide in November 2026 on renewing the Zoo & Museum millage that supports county-owned John Ball Zoo and the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The 10-year renewal at roughly 0.4086 mills (Headlee-adjusted) is projected to raise about $15.5 million in the first year, with a shifted allocation favoring the Zoo due to higher attendance, expenses, and deferred maintenance, while continuing education, animal care, exhibits, and reduced resident admissions.
Should Kent County renew the Zoo and Museum millage at the proposed rate and allocation?
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Sources
The Rapidian — https://therapidian.org/zoo-museum-millage-renewal-to-go-before-voters-in-november
Proposal: Renew for 10 years (2026–2035) at ~0.4086 mills. Allocation shifted to favor the Zoo more heavily
Kent County — https://www.kentcountymi.gov/1695/Zoo-Museum-Millage
Supports animal care, collections/exhibits, education, reduced/free admissions for residents
Grand Rapids Public Museum — https://www.grpm.org/millage/
Estimated first-year ~$15.5–15.6 million. Institutions draw ~1M+ visitors/year
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
- End the millage and fund only free basic access through general taxes or private donors
- Renew at a lower rate with equal Zoo/Museum split and means-tested free admission
- Renew only if paired with independent audits of both institutions’ finances
- Approve the renewal at ~0.4086 mills with the proposed Zoo-heavy allocation
- Approve a higher millage and expand marketing to grow tourism revenue further