Published: Sunday, August 16, 2009
Sno-Isle Libraries scales back, looks to tax increase
The library system cuts spending on materials and asks for a tax hike for 2010.
Library leaders hope taxpayers will go for a mix of budget cuts and a tax hike to maintain services.
The Sno-Isle Regional Libraries Board of Trustees has come up with more than $1.2 million in budget cuts for 2010 and will ask voters to consider a tax rate increase that would raise about the same amount next year.
Cuts approved for 2010 include a 3 percent salary cut for the top six highest-paid Sno-Isle employees and three other senior staff members.
There also will be a salary freeze for all other employees as well as cuts in spending on materials and equipment. In addition, improvements to the libraries' computer system have been delayed until 2011 and more than a dozen full- and part-time positions will remain vacant.
Sno-Isle Libraries serves more than 650,000 residents in Snohomish and Island counties. Its annual budget, including reserves, is around $38 million.
A series of public meetings and more than 1,000 Web surveys convinced library leaders to trim spending to reduce the amount they will seek on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
"We are really looking at maintaining the level of service," said Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory, director of the 21-library system. "What we heard from people was a request to our board to compromise: reduce our budget, which would allow us to ask for a smaller tax increase."
The budget reductions approved for next year will occur regardless of whether the levy passes.
Two budgets are being prepared: one if the levy passes, the other if it fails.
If the levy is rejected, Sno-Isle would make deeper cuts, including reducing library hours.
Each of Sno-Isle's libraries would be open four fewer hours per week, according to recent budget estimates.
Under the levy proposal, the tax rate would increase by 9 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. That's $18 a year more on a $200,000 home; $27 on a $300,000 home and $36 on a $400,000 home. The new rate would be 40 cents per $1,000, which would be 10 cents below what is allowed by state law. "The board really took a look at how we could get the increase to be as low as possible, maintain the level of service and have stable funding for five years," Woolf-Ivory said.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
The Sno-Isle Regional Libraries Board of Trustees has come up with more than $1.2 million in budget cuts for 2010 and will ask voters to consider a tax rate increase that would raise about the same amount next year.
Cuts approved for 2010 include a 3 percent salary cut for the top six highest-paid Sno-Isle employees and three other senior staff members.
There also will be a salary freeze for all other employees as well as cuts in spending on materials and equipment. In addition, improvements to the libraries' computer system have been delayed until 2011 and more than a dozen full- and part-time positions will remain vacant.
Sno-Isle Libraries serves more than 650,000 residents in Snohomish and Island counties. Its annual budget, including reserves, is around $38 million.
A series of public meetings and more than 1,000 Web surveys convinced library leaders to trim spending to reduce the amount they will seek on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
"We are really looking at maintaining the level of service," said Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory, director of the 21-library system. "What we heard from people was a request to our board to compromise: reduce our budget, which would allow us to ask for a smaller tax increase."
The budget reductions approved for next year will occur regardless of whether the levy passes.
Two budgets are being prepared: one if the levy passes, the other if it fails.
If the levy is rejected, Sno-Isle would make deeper cuts, including reducing library hours.
Each of Sno-Isle's libraries would be open four fewer hours per week, according to recent budget estimates.
Under the levy proposal, the tax rate would increase by 9 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. That's $18 a year more on a $200,000 home; $27 on a $300,000 home and $36 on a $400,000 home. The new rate would be 40 cents per $1,000, which would be 10 cents below what is allowed by state law. "The board really took a look at how we could get the increase to be as low as possible, maintain the level of service and have stable funding for five years," Woolf-Ivory said.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.
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