PORT ANGELES — Clallam County voters will be asked to approve a levy lid lift for the public libraries on the August primary ballot.
The North Olympic Library System — which oversees public libraries in Port Angeles, Sequim, Forks and Clallam Bay — voted unanimously Thursday night to put the measure on the Aug. 17 ballot.
Voters will be asked to restore the library system’s property tax levy rate from the current 33 cents to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
That’s the amount that voters approved in 1978, the last time the library system sought a levy rate increase.
Estimates of total revenue realized from a levy lid lift are uncertain, since property assessments change.
Library System Director Paula Barnes’ estimate, based on 2010 property values, is that the library system would realize a difference of about an additional $1,316,000 in 2011 if the levy passes.
Library district officials say that the district is grappling with budget shortfalls primarily because of the cumulative effect of the 1 percent maximum annual allowable increase in the property tax levy that is mandated by state law without a vote of the people, combined with inflation that has averaged 2.8 percent for the past eight years.
The public libraries scheduled two one-week closures this year, cut staff, reduced hours of operation at three libraries, cut library materials by 10 percent, deferred some maintenance and continued to rely on old technology for telephone systems and other equipment, Barnes said.
Library officials expect another budget shortfall in 2011.
Prior to approving the placement of the taxing measure on the primary ballot, the board approved a business plan for the library system called the NOLS 2012 plan.
“It’s called NOLS 2012 because if the levy is approved in August, the additional tax revenues would begin flowing into the district in 2011, and all of the elements of the plan would be in place by the end of 2012,” Barnes said.
The plan includes extended library hours and the addition of more books, CDs and other materials.
It “will allow the library to maintain the service and maintenance levels described in the plan for at least 10 years without a need to place additional levy requests before the voters of Clallam County,” Barnes said.
The plan is based on passage of the levy lid lift.
“If the levy does not pass, the NOLS 2012 plan cannot be implemented, and the library will need to cut staffing, hours of operation and the book budget in order to balance its budget,” Barnes said.
The board elected to place the measure on the primary election ballot so that it could know the election results in time to prepare the 2011 budget, Barnes said.
Also, the board would know the result of the election before negotiations begin with the union that represents most library employees. Their current labor contract will end on Dec. 31, 2011.
Whether the measure passes or doesn’t pass, the board will need to use reserves for the 2011 year, she said.
But if it passes, then the board knows it will be able to replenish reserves.
Otherwise, it must build a budget that downsizes staff and services.
The library system took $88,000 out of reserves for 2010, and cut another $88,000, Barnes said.
The first system-wide library closure was from April 29 through April 3. The second will be from Aug. 30 to Sept. 4.
All 51 employees of the library system are on unpaid furloughs during the closures.
