Voters rejected a $158-million capital expansion plan for the King County (Wash.) Library System February 4. The levy was favored by only 52% of county residents, well short of the 60% supermajority required for passage, even with absentee votes trickling in over the following weekend. The measure would have funded a 10-year improvement plan to add four new branches and improve some of the existing 42 branches.
“I’m impressed we did as well as well did,” Library Director Bill Ptacek said in the February 8 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. However, he warned that the system will have to dip into basic operating funds for some building improvements, and that may mean cutting hours or acquisitions in the future.
Meanwhile, an 11% tax increase in Snohomish and Island counties that would have helped maintain services and materials at the 20 libraries in the Sno-Isle Regional Library System also failed. The increase would have given the district an additional $2.4 million, staving off cuts in library services, operating hours, equipment, and collections. Library Director Mary Kelly said the board will consider resubmitting the measure later in the year, the February 6 Seattle Times reported.
Posted February 17, 2003.