KENT COUNTY, Mich. — The Kent County Board of Commissioners passed a new budget last week, again securing a top of the line credit rating for a $696 million spending plan.
At a glance...
- $696 million in expenditures across all funds
- $694 million in revenue across all funds
- $265 million general fund
"We’ve operated at a highly excellent level for three decades now," said Kent County Administrator Al Vanderberg, referencing the county's AAA credit rating, which it has now earned for a 28th year in a row.
"The taxes people pay go toward creating a safe community," Vanderberg said. "Kent County is vitally involved in the lives of our residents."
Where the money comes from...
- Taxes
- $155M (58% of General Fund)
- Charges for Services
- $33M (12% of General Fund)
- Intergovernmental Revenue
- $33M (12.5% of General Fund)
- Transfers In
- $29M (11% of General Fund)
- Investments, Rents and Royalties
- $6M (2% of General Fund)
Where the money goes...
- Personnel
- 145M (54% of General Fund)
- Transfers Out
- $61M (23% of General Fund)
- Others Services and Charges
- $54M (20% of General Fund)
- Capital
- $7M (2% of General Fund)
- Supplies
- $4M (1% of General Fund)
By department...
- Sheriff's Office
- $105M (49% of Operating Budget)
- Circuit Court
- $19M (9% of Operating Budget)
- Facilities
- $13M (6% of Operating Budget)
- Information Technology
- $10M (5% of Operating Budget)
- Parks
- $8M (4% of Operating Budget)
- Policy/Administration
- $8M (3% of Operating Budget)
- Prosecutor's Office
- $7M (3% of Operating Budget)
- District Court
- $4M (2% of Operating Budget)
- Probate Court
- $3M (1% of Operating Budget)
Property taxes and taxable values
In the past five years in Kent County, property values have climbed. This means many homeowners are paying more in property taxes, even as the county's millage rate has remained unchanged.
From 2021 to 2026, Kent County's state taxable value increased 43.4%, from $26.56 billion to $38.09 billion.
"Expected, honestly," said Tammy Jo Budzynski, a realtor with TJ Homes and Keller Williams Realty. "With the popularity of Grand Rapids, with the transformation we're seeing downtown, with all the buildings you've seen going up, it's the next step."
Budzynski says it's also helpful to understand how property taxes are calculated.
In Michigan, the taxable value of a property, if its owner stays the same, can only increase annually at five percent or the rate of inflation, whichever leads to the lower amount.
But if that property is sold, its taxable value is reassessed to fit the current market reality.
When this happens, its new owners typically wind up paying more in property taxes, according to Budzynski, leading to the trend currently seen in Kent County and in others counties across the state.
"If you're not looking to buy or sell right now, most of [the increase in property values] is not going to affect you," she said. "For those who are looking to own a home or looking to build, understand that the taxable value you see from a previous seller are not going to be your taxes, and make sure that that works in your budget."
Whether you're looking to buy, sell or stay in Kent County, its population is on the rise.
Budzynski believes it's affordable.
"If you go to any other part of the country, any big cities, we're still considered less expensive," Budzynski said.
Kent County agrees.
"If you're looking in Michigan, if you're looking to be somewhere where there's energy and growth and vitality, Kent County is the place to be," Vanderberg said.
