A millage to benefit the Detroit Institute of Arts will go before Oakland County voters, the county Board of Commissioners decided Thursday.

The commissioners voted 15-9 to create an arts authority, which will craft ballot language for the proposed 10-year, 0.2 mill tax, which also will go before voters in Wayne and Macomb counties.

Seven Republicans joined all eight Democrats who were present in voting yes. All nine no votes were from Republicans.

Oakland County's support is the final piece of the plan, though officials face a May 29 deadline to finalize language to get the issue on the August ballot.

"The DIA is a cultural institution of irreplaceable benefit," said the Rev. Robert Hart of St. James Episcopal Church in Birmingham.