Library district seeks tax hike
Expenses include computers, longer hours
Spokane County Library District patrons are being asked to preserve service by increasing property taxes through a levy lid lift.
Director Michael Wirt likens the Aug. 17 primary election measure to preventive maintenance on a dike before a finger is needed to stop a flood.
He said lifting the levy lid is intended to preserve gains achieved by a similar lid lift in 2006 that was approved by 58.6 percent of voters. The 10-library district increased hours of operation, acquired more materials and boosted computer access.
Wirt said the gains have lasted a year longer than predicted, but are expected to begin eroding next year without another lid lift.
The new lid lift would increase the district’s tax rate from 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to the statutory maximum of 50 cents. The rate that may be collected gradually falls because of a 1 percent limit on the amount budgets may increase.
Wirt said the 1 percent limit isn’t expected to keep up with rising costs, including what he believes will be a big increase in required contributions to employees’ state-managed pensions.
The proposal would add $7.50 to next year’s tax bill for the owner of a $150,000 home.
The benefit to the library district may be less than hoped, though, because of falling property values. The assessor’s office recently announced that nearly 70 percent of the single-family homes in Spokane County have lost value.
Because of that and the fact that new construction hasn’t yet been appraised, “it’s all kind of a mystery” how much money the lid lift would generate, Wirt said.
The district’s libraries had more than 1.3 million visitors in 2009. That’s 188,727 more than the combined attendance of the Spokane Arena, the INB Performing Arts Center and the Spokane Convention Center.
Visits to the district’s website increased 19.6 percent last year, and reservations for computer use rose 9.9 percent. The 2.3 million items checked out last year also was a 9.9 percent increase.
More than 3,000 additional library cards were issued in 2009, and some of the new cardholders may have been looking for jobs as well as cheap entertainment.
Wirt said many large employers now take only online applications, and many people can’t afford the high-speed connections increasingly required for Internet access.
“We are the Internet access for a whole lot of people,” he said.
In addition to allowing the district to offer more Internet access and digital materials such as audio books and e-books, the 2006 levy lid lift increased branch hours.
Five branches are now open seven days a week, one is open six days a week, one is open five days and three are open four days a week. The branches have 225 computers with high-speed Internet access.
Property taxes account for $9.7 million of this year’s $10.4 million library district revenue. Expenses this year are expected to be nearly $243,000 less than revenue.
Wirt said the ability to build reserves was one of the benefits of a 2006 lid lift. Improved cash flow allows the district to pay its bills without borrowing money in anticipation of the next tax collection.
Without a lid lift, he expects to have to start digging into reserves next year to maintain service.