Nobody likes paying taxes, and the people of Detroit are no different. So why did they just vote to raise their property taxes?

Maybe you've heard about the victory for the arts in Detroit? How last week the Detroit Institute for the Arts Museum (DIA), faced with state and local budget cuts and the resulting impending closure, was pulled back from the brink by the citizens of the surrounding county's vote raise property tax to pay for the museum's budget?

This is huge! It isn't everyday you see folks electing to pay more taxes. It can be equally as hard to put a value on art. But the people of Detroit have accomplished both feats, adding a little more burden to their taxes to save themselves the burden of losing a piece of their culture, heritage, and arts community. And food for the soul, if you ask me.

 Detroit not only gets to keep their museum, but with the new funding the museum can afford to have the supporting counties visit the museum for free! After voting at the polls, folks are voting with their feet: museum patronage jumped up from 2,600 visitors this time last year to 8,000 visitors this year.

 DIA stays open, Detroit gets in for free, and the community has 5,400 more people than before talking about the arts. It is a win/win/win and should give us something to think about.