On Tuesday, Kent County voters turned down a proposed Corrections and Detentions millage that would have extended and increased funding for the county jail for the next 20 years. Unofficial results from the Kent County Clerk’s Office show 174,341 votes against the measure and 115,998 votes in favor, a clear 60% to 40% rejection.
What the millage would have done
The sheriff’s office sought a rate of 0.98 mills, which translates to roughly $100 per year for a homeowner with a taxable property value of $100,000. The additional revenue was intended to improve the jail’s ability to provide medical and mental‑health care to detainees, a goal the agency says has been a long‑standing priority.
Official response
Former Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye‑Young told FOX 17 that the millage was designed to fund work the department has already been doing successfully for decades. She emphasized that the proposed funding would have allowed the sheriff’s office to expand services rather than start new programs from scratch.
Voter sentiment
Voters in the county expressed a range of concerns, from the cost of the levy to broader questions about how correctional facilities should be funded. While the measure was framed as a way to enhance health services for detainees, many residents appeared hesitant to approve a new tax that would affect their property bills for the next two decades.
Implications for the jail
With the millage defeated, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office will need to rely on existing budget allocations and any state or federal grants to maintain and improve health services at the jail. The department has not indicated whether it will pursue an alternative funding strategy or revisit the proposal in a future election cycle.
Next steps
The clerk’s office will continue to certify the final vote totals in the coming days. County officials may hold public meetings to discuss how to address the funding gap and explore other avenues for supporting inmate health care without imposing a new millage.
Original reporting: FOX 17 WXMI Grand Rapids (local) — read the source article.
