Michigan Voters Support More Education Funding, but Paying for It Is Complicated

This article was originally published in Michigan Advance. Jen Stroven, an organizer for Kalamazoo’s Yes For Families campaign, knew what she was up against: ‘Affordability, affordability, affordability.’ Asking voters to raise their own taxes to lower child care costs, expand access, and raise teacher wages may have seemed like a tall order at a time when the increased cost of living is a top issue on voters’ minds. But Stroven was confident the 0.5-mill property tax proposal would pass and she was right. In August, 63% of voters in Kalamazoo County approved the eight-year initiative that will add an average of $50 a month to their property tax bills. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Stroven said that even for those voters who didn’t have young kids, they were able to see the economic benefit for communities and businesses that are losing workers because of lack of affordable childcare.

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