”Yes” vote will keep good thing going

Library-lovers, a great opportunity is here. You can vote on the future of our library.

Last fall, after a heated controversy in which citizens demonstrated their wish to remain with the Spokane County Library District, the City Council agreed to contract with district, with plans to study annexation to it during 2005. (Annexation also was recommended by the transition team at the time of incorporation.)

I commend the council for briskly moving ahead in bringing library district annexation to an early vote on May 17. This means our library services, if the vote passes, can be secure as of Jan. 1, 2006, and beyond.

Annexation to the district will pass with a simple majority.

This vote will be by mail only. If you haven’t already, you’ll soon receive a mail-in ballot that reads, “Shall the city of Spokane Valley be annexed to and be a part of Spokane County Library District?”

Please be sure to vote on this critical issue.

A “yes” vote will ensure that we keep forever the fine library services we’ve enjoyed for more than 50 years, which will continue to grow as a valuable community resource.

The term “annexation” may be confusing or off-putting to some. It has become tainted during battles over the issue of land ownership between the cities of Spokane, Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake, and now engenders suspicion and hostility.

A positive example of annexation was last September’s voter-approved annexation of our two fire districts to the county.

Let me explain exactly what annexation means in terms of the library.

The district is under, but separate from Spokane County. It includes nine already-annexed cities (our city and Airway Heights, are the only ones under contract). With the other libraries, we receive excellent and progressive services from the district and share a wealth of materials and services, including access to the Spokane Public Library, interlibrary loans and outreach services for homebound people and child-care facilities, etc.

We belonged to the district for decades as part of unincorporated Spokane County. When Spokane Valley incorporated, the new city had to then contract or annex with the district, or create its own library. After considering starting from scratch and its ramifications, the city, urged by citizens, made the best choice in choosing a five-year contract with the district. Contracts must be continually renegotiated, with all the stress, time and money that requires. Therefore, the city also chose to explore annexation with the district.

With annexation, we become a permanent part of the district, with the same levels of service, paying through property taxes as we have always paid. The cost of services (the same for decades) will remain the same, paid directly to the district, rather than through the city. The levy rate for all county residents is 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Under state law, voters must approve any increase.

If Valley citizens wish to leave the district in the future, the City Council can call for a vote after the first three years of annexation.

For further information, you can contact the Spokane County Library District at 924-4122 or City Hall at 921-1000.

I urge you to pass on this information to your friends before they vote (remember, some folks vote early), and to vote “yes” for annexation with the district. It’s a win-win situation.

We’ve got a great thing going and the future of our library looks bright.