Voters to determine Sno-Isle's services

Sno-Isle Libraries has two possible 2010 budgets.

If the levy lid lift of 9 cents, from 31 cents to 40 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, passes in the Nov. 3 general election, one will be used. The other is for if the measure fails.

Both budgets include some level of cuts. The difference between the two is if the levy fails, the library system will have to cut about $2.5 million more.

In June, the Sno-Isle Board of Trustees decided to ask voters for a levy lid lift that was lower than their initial intent.

"This was not an easy decision for our board to make," said Mary Kelly, Sno-Isle community relations and marketing director.

However, after receiving public input, the board decided to go with an option patrons had suggested . a small levy lift and cuts.

"The intent is to be able to maintain services," she said.

The board has already identified about $1 million in cuts that will be made even if the lift passes, Kelly said. Those cuts include a system-wide salary freeze, a 3 percent pay cut for nine administrative staff, delaying the purchase of a new computer system and cuts to the materials and equipment budget.

Should the levy lid lift pass, Sno-Isle will not need to request a raise until 2014, said Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory, Sno-Isle library director. If it doesn't pass, the board will set aside enough money in the 2010 budget to pay for a levy lid lift request should it be necessary.

The economy is not the root cause of Sno-Isle's need for a lift. Due to a state law that caps property taxes income increases at 1 percent annually, the system periodically has to request additional help from voters.

Property tax provides 97 percent of the system's revenue. The rest comes from a combination of timber sales, donations and contract fees.

The last time a levy lid lift came before voters was 2003, Woolf-Ivory said. The system knew it would be enough of a lift for four to five years.

Unfortunately, the timing for the need for a levy lid lift came in the middle of an economic downturn, she said.

If the levy fails, the library system will cut open hours for its libraries, Woolf- Ivory said. They will choose hours at each community library that will impact library users the least. For the Stanwood and Camano libraries, that would likely mean closing early one weekday.

There are also vacant positions that would continue to be unfilled should the levy fail, she said. At the moment, the system has more than 15 vacant positions.

This year, Woolf-Ivory said she has seen people line up to use library computers to apply for jobs. Young families take children to library programs rather than activities that cost money. Retired folks use the newspaper section.

Public libraries provide reading material and entertainment, but there is also urgency to the services they provide, she said.

If information is a currency, public libraries are what level the playing field, Kelly said.

Staff Reporter Kristi Pihl: 629-8066 ext. 125 or kpihl@scnews.com.