Libraries in Waukesha County Escape a Tax Cap, for Now

http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2003/september2003/librarieswaukesha.cfm

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Posted September 29, 2003.

Libraries in Waukesha County Escape a Tax Cap—for Now

The 16 public libraries in Wisconsin’s Waukesha County could enjoy a funding increase as high as 8% in 2004, thanks to the defeat by county supervisors of a measure to limit property tax increases to 2.6% in most departments. County Executive Dan Finley proposed the tax cap September 23, but the measure failed 12–19. The cap would have limited library tax increases to $66,147 next year, compared with a possible $225,082 increase under the current formula.

Oconomowoc Public Library Director Ray McKenna said in the September 23 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the debate raised concerns about the county’s overall commitment to provide library services. If the system were dismantled to save costs in the short run, he asked, “Do you ever put it back together again?”

Currently, Waukesha County collects taxes from communities without libraries and distributes the funds to the 16 libraries according to a formula established by a county ordinance that would have to be suspended in order to impose a tax cap. However, county supervisors will again need to consider suspending it when they act on the county’s lean $236-million budget proposal.

Supervisor Mareth Kipp of Genesee held up her Waukesha Public Library card during the debate and warned that if the measure passed, libraries would have to start charging out-of-town users extra fees. “Don’t do it to them,” she said. “I don’t want the citizens of Waukesha County to be fighting against one another.”

Posted September 29, 2003.