Voters to consider library tax levy increase
March 30, 2016
Charlea Estes
Barry County and Lawrence County voters will have the opportunity to vote on a increase in the current library tax levy that funds the Barry-Lawrence Regional Libraries. The issue will be up for a vote on the April 5 General Municipal Election ballots in both counties.
Currently, the library system is funded by a 15-cent property tax levy to run the ten different branches. If the property tax-levy increases, the change will be an additional 7-cents, bringing it up to 22-cents per $1,000 assessed valuation. The change would be an additional $600,000 in funding annually for the libraries, according to information provided by the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library.
Part of the reasoning for the Barry-Lawrence Library Board seeking additional funding was the loss of 2-cents on the property tax levy after 2008. The tax levy used to be 17-cents, but due to the Hancock Amendment, the library had to roll back their property tax to last voter-approved levy, which dated back to 1973. The library gets approximately 85 percent of their funding from taxes. The loss of the funding equated to around $250,000 between the two counties, according to library director Gina Milburn.
Due to decreases in tax revenue, some of the library system’s ten branches have had to scale back hours and staff. With approval of the levy, the library plans to increase staff and services.
For homeowners, the increase for the levy would mean an increase of around $13.30 per year on a $100,000 home or $19.95 for a $200,000 home. For vehicles, the increase would mean approximately $2.33 per year on a $10,000 vehicle and $4.67 for a $20,000 vehicle.
Opponents of the levy increase have raised questions about why the library is increasing the levy by 7-cents when their loss was only 2-cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. In response, the library board released information stating that the Missouri State Library as well as Missouri State Statutes say a library needs at least 20-cents in property tax levy to provide “adequate” service.
According Milburn, funds from the property tax levy will be used for a number of projects, including: more DVDs, audiobooks and books for patrons, new e-books and e-audiobooks as well as e-readers for customers to check out, streaming music and movies for checkout, digital downloadable magazines for checkout, provide Pop Up Library mobile services to underserved communities in both counties, extended branch hours at most locations based on customer needs, a wider variety of databases and job skills training, and provide upgrades and improvements to library facilities.
The Barry-Lawrence Regional Library is made up ten branches: Aurora, Cassville, Eagle Rock, Marionville, Miller, Mt. Vernon, Monett, Purdy, Pierce City and Shell Knob. For more information on the tax levy, the Monett Branch Library can be reached at (417) 235-6466.
Charlea Estes
Barry County and Lawrence County voters will have the opportunity to vote on a increase in the current library tax levy that funds the Barry-Lawrence Regional Libraries. The issue will be up for a vote on the April 5 General Municipal Election ballots in both counties.
Currently, the library system is funded by a 15-cent property tax levy to run the ten different branches. If the property tax-levy increases, the change will be an additional 7-cents, bringing it up to 22-cents per $1,000 assessed valuation. The change would be an additional $600,000 in funding annually for the libraries, according to information provided by the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library.
Part of the reasoning for the Barry-Lawrence Library Board seeking additional funding was the loss of 2-cents on the property tax levy after 2008. The tax levy used to be 17-cents, but due to the Hancock Amendment, the library had to roll back their property tax to last voter-approved levy, which dated back to 1973. The library gets approximately 85 percent of their funding from taxes. The loss of the funding equated to around $250,000 between the two counties, according to library director Gina Milburn.
Due to decreases in tax revenue, some of the library system’s ten branches have had to scale back hours and staff. With approval of the levy, the library plans to increase staff and services.
For homeowners, the increase for the levy would mean an increase of around $13.30 per year on a $100,000 home or $19.95 for a $200,000 home. For vehicles, the increase would mean approximately $2.33 per year on a $10,000 vehicle and $4.67 for a $20,000 vehicle.
Opponents of the levy increase have raised questions about why the library is increasing the levy by 7-cents when their loss was only 2-cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. In response, the library board released information stating that the Missouri State Library as well as Missouri State Statutes say a library needs at least 20-cents in property tax levy to provide “adequate” service.
According Milburn, funds from the property tax levy will be used for a number of projects, including: more DVDs, audiobooks and books for patrons, new e-books and e-audiobooks as well as e-readers for customers to check out, streaming music and movies for checkout, digital downloadable magazines for checkout, provide Pop Up Library mobile services to underserved communities in both counties, extended branch hours at most locations based on customer needs, a wider variety of databases and job skills training, and provide upgrades and improvements to library facilities.
The Barry-Lawrence Regional Library is made up ten branches: Aurora, Cassville, Eagle Rock, Marionville, Miller, Mt. Vernon, Monett, Purdy, Pierce City and Shell Knob. For more information on the tax levy, the Monett Branch Library can be reached at (417) 235-6466.