Pierce County Library Vote Still Undecided

TACOMA, WA — With 40,000 Pierce County votes still uncounted, and Pierce County's elections office closed Monday in observance of Veterans Day, county library officials are still unclear as to which way the levy lid lift proposal to maintain library services will play out.

As of Nov. 12, Election Day plus-seven, the Pierce County Rural Library District proposition to restore the library's levy rate to its full legal amount of 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value — a 10-cent increase, roughly — is barely failing 50.2 percent to 49.8 percent. However, with 20 percent of the ballots still uncounted, library district spokeswoman Mary Getchell said, with that many uncounted votes, "We still don't know which direction the majority of voters chose."

Elections officials had apparently planned to have 95 percent of the ballots counted by Friday, Nov. 9, but they failed to meet that goal, Getchell said. Now Getchell said she hopes their plan is to reach 95 percent counted by Tuesday. For the Pierce County Library System's Board of Trustees, meeting that goal before Wednesday afternoon would be incredibly helpful.

At 3:30 p.m. Nov. 14, the trustees are scheduled to meet at the library's Administrative Center to discuss the results of the restored levy vote. They hope at that time to have clear direction from the electorate as to how they'll proceed budgeting what services the library can offer.

If voters approve the levy lid lift, the Pierce County Rural Library District will be able to maintain the services it currently offers, which, according to Getchell, includes "open hours at 20 locations and online library resources; 1.5 million books, e-books, movies and other materials; staff to support learning with thousands of classes and events; computers, Wi-Fi and technology; and community spaces."

If the levy lid lift fails, "The Library System would further eliminate and reduce services, including the hours libraries are open; the number of books, movies and other materials; and classes and events; as well as close two to three libraries," Getchell said.

Pierce County's libraries already have the lowest in per capita offerings than any other similarly-sized library district in the state, Getchell said, noting the last levy lid lift approved by voters in 2006 has been stretched about as far as it can go.

Expected to meet service needs for roughly six years, the 56 percent voter-approved 2006 vote has carried the library system for twice as long. In that time library officials have kept promises made to the public in exchange for their 'yes' vote, which included more and longer open hours, increasing services for children and teens, adding a greater variety of materials, and upgrading services and technology.

In the 12 years since the last levy lid lift approval, the county has experienced notable growth with regard to both its residents and library usage, with its population increasing 16 percent from 518,000 in 2006 to 600,000 in 2017, and the number of library cards issued increasing 65 percent from 198,000 in 2006 to 323,000 in 2017.

Additional increases include classes and events scheduled at the county's various libraries (79 percent increase), computer usage (44 percent increase), materials checked out (33 percent increase), and wi-fi connections (96 percent increase). And while revenue to the library has also increased between 1 and 3 percent, overhead costs have also increased 4 to 7 percent — creating a significant budget imbalance.

Since 2009, three years after the last levy lid lift was approved and during the worst part of a nationwide recession, the library system has deferred roughly $20 million in maintenance costs and eliminated, reduced, and/or streamlined a variety of other services just to manage its budget.

From ending its rural bookmobile service to discontinuing its streaming movies services, the library system has reportedly cut where it can while keeping alive what services voters found most important. But now the library district is facing another round of potential cuts, depending on which way the vote swings.

With 94 percent of its services funded by property taxes, the library system depends a great deal on the support of its communities. For residents interested in the future of the library system, the Nov. 14 public hearing at 3005 112th St. E. in Tacoma could provide some answers, Getchell said.

However, if the vote is still too close to call the Board of Trustees will examine two possible budget outcomes — one with the restored levy and one without — and schedule a special Nov. 28 meeting to approve the appropriate budget.

The Elections Office must have all votes counted and certify the election by Nov. 27, Getchell said.

The Board of Trustees' second hearing on the topic is scheduled for Dec. 12, whatever the outcome.

For more information on the library's levy lid lift and all things Pierce County library-related, visit PierceCountyLibrary.org.

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Image via Pierce County Library/Pierce County Library System, YouTube.com