BOARD EXPECTED TO ASK VOTERS FOR TAX THAT WOULD RAISE $700,000 MORE A YEAR TO OFFSET DECLINE IN STATE FUNDING
Katie Byard, Beacon Journal staff writer
The Akron-Summit County Public Library likely will seek a levy to raise an additional $700,000 a year.
Property owners would see a slight increase in their tax bills, library officials point out.
The library's board is expected today to approve a resolution aimed at putting on the May 4 ballot a levy to replace the current one.
The replacement levy would add .088 mills in new taxes so that the levy once again collects at 1.4 mills.
The existing levy, which expires at the end of next year, costs the owner of a $100,000 home about $43 a year.
The new millage would cost that homeowner an additional $2.70 a year. Library board President Scott Jaffe said that given the poor economy, ''We felt it was not prudent'' to seek a significant increase in millage.
The levy raises money for operations of the Main Library in downtown Akron, as well as 17 branches and bookmobile services.
Passed in 2004, on the district's second attemp, the current levy brings in about $12 million. That's about one half of the library's $23.7 million annual budget, said library spokeswoman Carla Davis.
The replacement levy would raise about $12.7 million a year and would run for six years.
Jaffe said he's hopeful that taxpayers will ''consider the value of the libraries we're providing . . . particularly in this economic downturn.''
Patrons, he said, ''are relying on the library to provide books and DVDs that they might normally buy or rent.''
Circulation has reached record-breaking levels in the last several years, Jaffe said.
Noting cuts in state funding, Jaffe said the library district ''actually needs an increase'' in taxes amounting to more than what the replacement levy would generate.
State taxes flowing to the library ''used to be 60 percent of our revenues and they are now down below 50 percent.''
Like libraries across the state, the Akron-Summit County Public Library has responded to the state cuts by trimming costs.
The district stopped filling most vacant positions in February. Other cuts include a 15 percent reduction in spending on materials.
Summit County Council would still have to sign off on any levy attempt.
The library district serves Summit County residents who live in the Akron, Copley-Fairlawn, Coventry, Manchester, Green, Highland, Mogadore, Norton, Nordonia Hills, Revere, Springfield, Tallmadge and Woodridge school districts.
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