Let the public information campaign begin — Voters will decide this fall whether or not to annex the Mill Creek Library to the Sno-Isle Library District.
The Mill Creek City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday, May 11 to place a ballot question asking city voters Sept. 14 whether or not to annex to Sno-Isle, a move that would ease financial strains on the city budget while increasing local property taxes.
John “Jack” Start was the lone dissenting vote. He said he opposed putting the measure on the ballot because the measure is “a tax increase.”
Mark Bond, who voted in favor of the measure, said he liked the upcoming vote because “it empowers (voters). It’s within their control.”
If the measure passes, property owners within the city limits will begin paying the Sno-Isle levy of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value starting on Jan. 1, 2006. If it fails, the city will, in all likelihood, close the library.
The city is seeking to annex to Sno-Isle because of projections that show revenues exceeding expenses in the coming years. Currently, the city funds the library out of its general fund at a cost of approximately $500,000 per year, an amount similar to projected future deficits.
“It’s not that we can’t fund the library, it’s that we choose not too,” said Council member Donna Michelson, who is also a member of the city’s Library Board.
Prior to the vote, city manager Bob Stowe told the Council about the public outreach campaign the city and Sno-Isle will launch to inform the public. The campaign will include:
• Community presentations to local groups and service organizations.
• At least two public forums to educate voters about all aspects of the issue.
• Printed information about the issue for library customers and to hand out at public meetings.
According to Stowe, Sno-Isle will take the lead in the campaign, with the city having a secondary role and helping to finance the campaign.
“I understand the desire to put this before voters,” Mayor Terry Ryan said. “I want the information to be a fact sheet that is clear and impartial, not a sales sheet.”
A Sept. 14 election allows the city time to bring the measure back to voters should it fail. The city can place the measure on the ballot anytime before June 2005 and still make the goal of having the new funding in place by Jan. 1, 2006, Stowe said.
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