After 142 years as a village, Sparta is considering a change in governmental status. A committee has recommended that the West Michigan community move up to city status.
Village Manager Jim Lower believes the change is overdue.
“Cityhood in the village of Sparta has been talked about at least since the 50s,” Lower said. “Because the villages aren’t really designed to be a permanent station as a form of government. It’s an intermediate step between being nothing and being a city.”
The committee focused primarily on potential tax benefits for residents.
“The thing the committee was focused on, more than anything, was, is there a way to actually lower property taxes for people and unlock savings by getting rid of the complication and the confusion of the village form of government,” Lower explained…