Suburban millage for Detroit Institute of Arts

[cman710]

It does raise the question, however, of why someone in Milford should have their taxes raised to support a non-essential function in a competing jurisdiction.

Your question gets at the very heart of the problem. An art museum will never be an "essential function" in any city because basic city services are more important. That said, Detroit can barely afford to fund the most essential services and the services it does provide are not provided particularly effectively.

In the long term, Detroit simply does not have the resources to support institutions like the DIA. Therefore, if the region would like to maintain these institutions for future generations, the region will have to pay for them.