The library levy just barely passed. But why did it struggle so much?
The simple answer? The economy stinks.
“It was not anti-library,” District Trustee Merle Koplan said. “It’s the taxes.”
But behind the bookshelves, there were other reasons for this close call.
Demons.
And the finger was pointing at us.
Should have been easy
On the surface, this levy thing should have been a piece of cake. After all:
• Everybody loves libraries. Books and kids and reading. It’s all good. Like police and firefighters, we’ll reach into our pockets and pay whatever is asked.
• Voters had already approved a $43 million bond to build — among other things — a fancy new building. It’s going up for all to see right now. Surely voters would also support a levy that would help staff the new joint seven days a week.
• It will only cost you a few lattes a year. That’s it! $16 extra a year.
But hold on a sec
The Columbian knew all of this, of course, but after some vibrant discussion decided to editorialize against passage of the levy. In the end, it was just the wrong time to ask taxpayers for more money. Plus, this was a 15 percent increase for them. We thought, who the heck is getting increases today?
We knew recommending “no” would make some community power players unhappy. But that can never be part of the decision.
Then the e-mail came in. It was from a library supporter.
“It wasn’t enough to editorialize against the library’s levy measure…” the e-mail began “…You have to run a poll designed to discredit the library district right before the election.”
Demons.
Our unscientific web poll the library supporter was talking about asked readers about both the new City Hall and the new library. Both are beautiful buildings.
And the question was pretty simple: Aren’t these fancy joints a little pretentious?
The overwhelming majority said yes.
But the poll was a general question about “fancy” governmental buildings and made no mention of the levy.
The latte defense
I heard from other library defenders who pointed out the increase amounted to giving up a few lattes a year. For many homeowners, it’s $15-$20 more.
But remember, you’re already paying $80-$90 a year. Add in the new levy, and we’re around $100.
Now we’re up to 40 lattes.
These nickels and dimes are starting to add up. The total new levy would bring in a little under $3 million. Add that to the $17 million a year taxpayers already are shelling out.
How many lattes is that?
Anti-community?
But back to the e-mail. The thing that really caught my eye was the last sentence. He referred to us — specifically our poll — as “anti-community.”
He went on to say he was “very concerned about the direction The Columbian is heading.”
Huh?
• If allowing the community to voice its opinion is anti-community, then we’re guilty.
• If voicing our view that this was not a good time to ask taxpayers for more money is anti-community, then we’re guilty.
In the end, this community is not about fancy governmental buildings or even a library being open seven days a week. It’s about the working stiff, the taxpayer, who can barely afford to make ends meet.
Time heals
Eventually folks will calm down. Who knows, I might even invite this library supporter out for a latte.
Oh wait … !
Lou Brancaccio is The Columbian’s editor. Reach him at 360-735-4505 or lou.brancaccio@columbian.com.
