The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners voted to establish a Childcare Millage Task Force and Ad Hoc Committee during its Sept. 15 business meeting, the next step in implementing the childcare millage voters approved in August.
The resolution creates two bodies to guide the program’s rollout: one tasked with setting up the program and another to oversee its ongoing operation, with the county board approving membership and recommendations for both. Commissioners discussed and amended the resolution before adoption, adjusting membership categories to include representatives from the philanthropic community. The amended resolution passed with unanimous support.
The task force and committee stem from the countywide childcare millage that voters approved during the August primary election. The eight-year, half-mill property tax is expected to generate roughly $6.4 million in its first year and will fund efforts to expand childcare access, increase wages for childcare workers, and lower costs for families with children age 5 and under. Collections begin with December tax bills, with the program expected to launch in January 2027.
The vote took place during the board’s regular business meeting, following a separate Committee of the Whole work session held earlier the same day.
