Detroit Institute of Arts proves critics right, asks for millage renewal after vow not to

Christina Hall | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption What you need to know about the Detroit Institute of Arts Founded in 1885, the Detroit Institute of Arts has more than 100 galleries and 66,000 pieces of art. Ann Zaniewski / Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Institute of Arts will seek to renew a tri-county millage next year — two years before the museum's 10-year millage is set to expire.

The museum's board of directors voted Monday to request that Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties place the renewal of the DIA's 0.2 mills on the March 10 ballot.

"Since 2012, we have transformed the DIA to a museum that is outwardly-focused, building relationships with the residents of all three counties by providing important services to students, seniors, veterans and thousands of others. To continue providing those services at the current level, a renewal of the millage is necessary," David Flynn, DIA senior vice president of community and public affairs, said in an email.

Voters in Wayne and Oakland counties handily passed the millage in August 2012 while the millage squeaked by voters in Macomb County with 50.5% of the vote. During the 2012 campaign, DIA officials said they did not expect to seek a renewal if the millage passed.

Before the millage would go to voters in 2020, each counties' Art Institute Authority would need to agree to put it on the ballot. The millage would be decided individually in each county.

Even accounting from the close vote in 2012, Macomb County may offer the biggest challenge in the renewal effort given that voters there are expected to see two other countywide millages on ballots in 2020 — including one slated for March in the form a new 10-year, 1.9-mill enhancement millage for public schools from the Macomb Intermediate School District.

More: Macomb County schools to seek nearly 2-mill tax increase next year

Then, in August 2020, Macomb County voters are expected to see another countywide ballot proposal to fund the building of a new county jail.

Flynn said the DIA is following the precedent of the Detroit Zoo by placing a renewal on the ballot two years ahead of expiration, "which gives us time to evaluate next steps pending the outcome of the vote." The zoo also has a tri-county millage that was renewed by voters in 2016.

More: Detroit Zoo's proposed Great Lakes Nature Center: Bigger, expensive

Flynn, a former Macomb County Board of Commissioners chairman, said the DIA is proud of the work it has done in Macomb County and the relationships built with elected leaders and residents.

"We are confident that we have provided residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties a significant return on their millage investment, including free field trips with free bus transportation for more than 62,000 tri-county students each year," he said.

When the DIA millage was first discussed years ago, it was to funnel an estimated $23 million a year to the financially strapped DIA. The plan was also was to turn its fundraising machinery toward building an endowment, with the millage supporting operating funds.

The goal was to have enough money on hand — about $400 million — to cover 60% of the DIA's operating budget once the millage expired.

Critics in 2012 believed that once the tax was in place, it would only be a matter of time before the DIA sought an extension.

But former DIA Executive Vice President Annmarie Erickson told the Free Press in a July 2012 article that the museum would not seek an additional millage if the museum fell short, and would instead continue to raise money for the endowment.

What changed?

"A lot changes in 10 years," Flynn said. "We should allow the counties and voters to decide if they want to continue receiving services, such as free admission and the weekly senior program, at the current levels. We sincerely hope voters will choose to continue and improve those benefits by approving the renewal."

One of those changes included the Grand Bargain of Detroit's bankruptcy, which involved numerous philanthropic foundations, the State of Michigan and the DIA pooling more than $800 million to fund city pensions and avoid DIA art being sold off as part of the City of Detroit's historic bankruptcy.

More: Detroit's historic bankruptcy and more contributed to city's revival

Flynn said the DIA raised $100 million toward the Grand Bargain "that went to support City of Detroit pensioners instead of the endowment. This also makes it difficult to return to those donors so soon to ask for endowment funds."

Flynn said the museum is run "extremely efficiently. The endowment was approximately $91 million in 2012. It is currently $230 million. The DIA has no debt, and as a result of the Grand Bargain, the collection, building and grounds are now held by the DIA."

In return for passage of the millage in 2012, the museum promised free admission for residents of the counties that approved the tax, extended hours and additional educational and community programs.

The DIA stated in a release that the millage renewal will allow the museum to continue to offer free educational opportunities to students in local schools, provide free professional development to more than 1,500 teachers annually and offer the region access to "unique history and culture that can't be found on TV, online or in books."

If the millage renewal gets on the ballots and isn't passed by voters, Flynn said: "When the current service agreements end, it will be difficult to provide free general admission, free field trips with free transportation, free senior programs and community partnerships such as our Inside Out and Public Art programs. The museum will also have to reduce its operations."

Leon Drolet, chairman of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, said the news of the new millage campaign doesn't come as a surprise.

He said taxing units are piling on the March election because they anticipate that Republicans likely won't vote in the presidential primary because President Donald Trump is not likely to have a serious challenger. They're "banking on Democrats on voting yes on any tax that's put on the ballot."

Drolet, a Macomb County commissioner, said taxing units also seek renewals for taxes that don't expire for years "because they realize if it fails, they can put it on the ballot again and again while the old tax is in effect." Plus, he said, he doesn't think that "anybody believes anyone in politics that tells them a tax would be temporary. You just have to assume they'll try to keep every tax in effect forever."

Drolet said when people vote against a tax, it's often an attempt to keep their budget at home together — trying to keep gas in their car or pay their electrical or other household bills.

"Most people don't vote no because they don't appreciate art or because they're selfish or greedy," he said. "They vote no because they're trying to prioritize their incomes and it's actually hard for a lot of people."

Drolet added that the DIA millage ends up costing Macomb County residents about four times the price of a ticket to go to the museum. He said he believes the DIA should switch back to a ticket-based policy.

While he opposes the tax, Drolet said the DIA is doing a "very good job of trying to expand their relevance to Macomb County. The administration is vastly improved over their prior administration in their effort to reach out to new audiences."

He called the previous administration "a bit snooty" and said that recent exhibits, such as those about baseball and "Star Wars" and a future one about car design in Detroit, show that museum officials are "working hard and seriously to make the DIA more relevant to a wider range of people."

Flynn said the counties' art authorities will decide whether the renewal question gets on the ballot, but he said museum leadership welcomes the opportunity to publicly answer questions from the art authorities, county boards and county executives.

"We expect a thorough and transparent vetting," he said. "At the end of the process, we hope the decision makers will feel we have earned the right to place the renewal on the ballot for voters to decide."

The DIA touted highlights of millage-supported programs in a news release, including:

Free field trips and free transportation to more than 62,000 students from more than 700 schools in the tri-county area each year

Free weekly programs for seniors, including free bus transportation for groups

Unlimited free general admission for all tri-county residents

Increasing the museum's weekly operating schedule by opening on Tuesdays and adding an extra hour to the daily schedule for the arrival of school groups

Forming partnerships with more than 900 nonprofit groups in the tri-county area

More: Exit Erickson: DIA losing its longtime No. 2 executive

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.