Sno-Isle listens to budget questions

It was a chance to give your two cents.

Sno-Isle Libraries held a community meeting to answer questions and receive input about the $2.5 million deficit it will face next year if it does not attempt a levy lift.

The library system is looking at two different scenarios to solve the difference between the revenue projection and what it would cost to offer the same level of service next year, said Jonalyn Woolf- Ivory, Sno-Isle library director.

Sno-Isle Libraries isn't like a business, Woolf-Ivory said. Although the libraries are busier than ever, that doesn't translate to an increase in revenue.

Instead, because of Initiative 747, the system's revenue can only increase by 1 percent each year without voter approval.

When property assessments increase, Sno-Isle doesn't get a similar increase in revenue, Woolf-Ivory said. The levy rate will drop so that the system's revenue only increases by 1 percent that year.

Since the levy rate was last raised to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value in 2003, it has dropped to the current rate of 31 cents per $1,000.

If Sno-Isle asks for an increase to 45 cents, a home valued at $400,000 would pay an additional $56 per year, and a $200,000 valued home would pay an extra $28.

The system tries to plan levy increases so that it has to operate the least number of elections possible, Woolf-Ivory said. The first few years, it places money in reserve, which helps stretch out the increase.

This year, the library system had $1.5 million in cuts to make, Woolf-Ivory said. Some of that was covered by transferring funds from the reserve to the operating budget.

To run a levy election, it costs Sno- Isle between $150,000 and $450,000. The least expensive time to ask for a levy lift is in November, she said.

In 2009, Sno-Isle had a budget of $30 million. Of that, $4.9 million went for materials, and staff costs were $21 million, Woolf-Ivory said. Facilities, which includes funding for the Camano Island Library pilot project, are 5 percent of the budget, or about $1.5 million.

Staff costs are a large portion of the budget because the services the system offers are provided by those staff, she said.

The system employs 480 people in both part-time and full-time positions, Woolf- Ivory said. This year, staff received a 3 percent market increase in pay.

Professional, full-time librarians receive a salary from $49,108 to $67,496, said Mary Kelly, Sno-Isle community relations and marketing director. The managing librarians at the larger libraries are paid between $61,713 and $84,843. The top-level directors, not including Woolf-Ivory, are on a salary range of $92,144 to $126,714. Woolf-Ivory's salary is set by the board of trustees.

Cutting materials would likely mean less popular titles and less titles purchased next year, Woolf-Ivory said.

Decreasing materials purchased made it on both the easiest and hardest lists of things to cut.

Cutting the amount of time libraries are open translates to cutting staff hours, Woolf- Ivory said.

Woolf-Ivory was asked about the letter printed in the May 19 edition of the NEWS that claimed eight administrators were earning a total of $2,580,560 including benefits.

In actuality, 27 staff members are included in that amount, Woolf-Ivory corrected.

Sno-Isle has a relatively new nonprofit foundation, which raised $100,000 for the library system this year. Those funds, however, are used to support programs and not fund basic services, said Jacquelyn De- Fazio, of Camano Island, board of trustees vice president.

The Sno-Isle board of trustees will decide whether or not to ask for a levy lid lift at its June 22 meeting. If a levy increase is put on the ballot, the system will prepare two budgets. If not, only the budget with cuts will be prepared.

In November, the final budget will be adopted.

To give input on cuts or a levy increase, visit www.snoisle. org/ or call 877-766-4753.