DIA employees thank the voters during a press conference on Wednesday.DETROIT (AP) -
Voters in southeastern Michigan have approved a special millage to support the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Leaders of the cultural institution say the 10-year millage passed Tuesday by voters in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties provides financial stability. Officials warned it would have to sharply curtail services and cut staff if the millage failed.
"A lot of younger voters came out, voters you wouldn't ordinarily see in primaries simply because they wanted to support the DIA and wanted to make sure that this institution was strong in this community," said DIA Chief Operating Officer Annmarie Erickson.
The tax works out to $20 annually on a home worth $200,000 and would raise about $23 million a year. That's nearly as much as the museum's current annual operating budget. "We're going to work hard to make sure that financial stability lasts for the next 100 years and beyond," said Erickson.
The museum will be free to residents of the three counties.
