County officials consider changing the 50-50 split for zoo and museum funding

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Kent County commissioners are considering whether to shift more of the shared property tax millage revenue to the John Ball Zoo to address roughly $40 million in deferred maintenance, potentially reducing the portion going to the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

The zoo and museum are asking the county board to place a 10-year renewal of the millage on the November ballot. The 0.4-mill property tax was first approved in 2016 and is set to expire at the end of this year.

Currently, the museum and zoo split the millage revenue evenly. The change would only apply if the county board decides to put the millage renewal on the ballot and voters approve it.

"From a county perspective, that's simply not it," Kent County Administrator Al Vanderberg said regarding any "us versus them" rhetoric that might emerge from the decision. "This is not, from the county's perspective, any kind of 'us versus them' or 'winners or losers' or any of the kind of rhetoric we may hear moving forward."

Financial stakes for both institutions

The zoo and museum millage is expected to generate about $15 million this year, according to the county's budget. The dollars are crucial to both institutions, supplying about 56% of the museum's operating revenue and roughly 28% of the zoo's budget.

The Kent County Board of Commissioners approved the zoo's $300 million master plan in December 2024. The master plan lays out several major expansion projects at the zoo's 110-acre campus at 1300 W. Fulton St. in Grand Rapids. Those include new giraffe and sea lion exhibits, a 30-foot waterfall, an underwater viewing area, expanded parking and a rooftop café.

The zoo is also developing plans for a large-scale aquarium in Kent County and has previously said it aims to open the facility by 2031.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum, which is owned by the city of Grand Rapids, recently completed a riverfront renovation and is planning a four-story tower on its southern edge. The museum attracts about 250,000 visitors each year.

John Ball Zoo drew 732,855 visitors in 2025.

Museum leaders urge equal split

Dale Robertson, president and CEO of the Public Museum, said he supports keeping the millage split evenly between the two institutions.

"Doing so, he said, 'allows a continuation of what the public has come to expect and experience' at the museum."

Shifting millage revenue away from the museum and toward the zoo could result in scaled back services at the museum, Robertson said.

"There will be adjustments that are going to have to be made in some way somehow to the operations or hours or just something," Robertson said.

Rob VerHeulen, chair of the zoo's executive board, did not comment on whether the zoo should receive a larger portion of the millage in a statement to MLive.

"We appreciate our partnership with the Kent County Commission and have continued to advocate for a millage renewal that supports the amazing work of the Zoo and Museum," VerHeulen said. "We understand this is a County Commission decision and, with the commission's approval, look forward to placing the millage on the ballot for renewal so we can continue serving the residents of Kent County for generations to come."

County administrators want greater visibility into funding

During a Tuesday meeting, administrators walked commissioners through studies showing that while both institutions are financially sound, the county-owned zoo faces major deferred maintenance needs that far exceed those of the museum.

Josh Spencer, Kent County's director of strategic impact, said a county-commissioned study found both the zoo and museum have been good stewards of the public dollars they've received over the past decade.

"The millage has been critical to their sustainability over the last 10 years," Spencer said. "The millage is necessary to sustain both organizations for the next 10 years."

Administrators also spoke about implementing accountability measures designed to give the county greater visibility into how the zoo uses its millage revenue. That could include monitoring the zoo's fundraising and examining whether its planned capital investments address deferred maintenance. Another option would hold back a portion of the zoo's millage funding until it demonstrates matching fundraising dollars.

"If the zoo is not in compliance, one of the levers that could be pulled is withholding all or a portion of the millage funding from the zoo until they fall into compliance," Spencer said.

Commissioners weigh in on the proposal

Commissioner Katie DeBoer praised the museum's financial management and warned that reducing its share of millage revenue could leave it feeling punished for its good use of resources.

"I want it to be heard and just said that, in a sense, I believe the museum is feeling kind of a little bit discouraged for their good use of resources and almost feeling like they're being punished," DeBoer said.

Commissioner Steve Faber said that if voters approve a renewal of the millage, he would like to see annual or quarterly meetings with the zoo, museum and county to review its status and how the money is being spent.

"That's really important moving forward," Faber said. "I think there were times in the last 10 years that maybe we could have made an adjustment had all the cards been on the table."

A January 2026 county-commissioned financial analysis by Plante Moran found the millage remains a key component of the museum's operations, accounting for about 60% of its projected revenue from fiscal years 2027 through 2036.

Background on the millage

The John Ball Zoo and Grand Rapids Public Museum millage was first approved by voters in 2016 for a 10-year term at a rate of .44 mills. Since then, the rate has been adjusted to 0.4173 mills under the Headlee Amendment, which limits tax increases by rolling back millage rates when property values rise faster than inflation.

In Fiscal Year 2024, the millage generated approximately $13.6 million, with the funds split equally between the zoo and museum, with each entity receiving $6.8 million.

For a homeowner with a property valued at $200,000, this equates to an annual cost of $83.46, based on the 2024 rate of $0.4173 per $1,000 of taxable value.

The zoo's assets and property are owned by Kent County, though the zoo is operated by an independent nonprofit and overseen by its own board. The city of Grand Rapids owns the public museum.

Both the zoo and museum have different needs and ambitions. The zoo, which is larger and draws more visitors than the museum, is working to implement its $300 million master plan.