Airway Heights to join Spokane County Library District

Airway Heights is joining the Spokane County Library District, a move that will raise taxes and free up more city revenue for public safety efforts.

As of election night, an overwhelming 70% of Airway Heights voters have cast their ballots in favor of joining the county library district.

The change won’t affect the library’s budget, but it will increase property taxes for the average homeowner by about $100 a year and bring the city an extra $370,000 in revenue.

Historically, Airway Heights has paid the library district to run its library. Now the library district will collect taxes directly from city residents.

Airway Heights still will receive the same amount of tax revenue, so by handing off the taxation job to the library district, the city will give itself an extra $370,000 a year that it plans to invest in firefighting and emergency medical services.