Council OKs putting library district on ballot

Sean C. Morgan

Of The New Era

The Sweet Home City Council adopted a resolution Tuesday allowing a proposed library district to appear on Sweet Home ballots in November.

With its unanimous decision during its regular meeting, Sweet Home joined a list of cities that will vote on the district, including Lebanon, Scio and Tangent. The same night, Millersburg and Halsey city councils also were considering it.

Albany City Council has yet to decide and has met with proponents in work sessions to discuss the district with the Linn Library League, which proposes the formation of the district.

Brownsville City Council decided last year not to join the district.

If it appears on the November ballot, the district will be formed if a majority of voters within the proposed boundaries approve it, not individual jurisdictions such as Sweet Home.

The Linn Library League proposes a tax rate of 68 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, $136 per year on a $200,000 property, an increase of six cents from the existing local option levy that funds the Sweet Home Public Library.

If approved, in conjunction with the approval of a taxing district to support the Oregon State University Extension Service at seven cents per $1,000, the district would cause a shortfall of $4,656 in city revenues, almost all of it in law enforcement funds, the most recent estimate from the county assessor’s office. An estimate last year projected a $14,000 shortfall.

The shortfall is part of an effect caused by 1990’s Measure 5 called compression, taxes that are above the measure’s limitations and not levied. On each property, the taxes in temporary levies, such as the local police levy and the countywide law enforcement levy, are reduced first to meet the limitations. If those don’t bring the total tax under the general government limit of $10, then permanent rates are reduced.

The formation of the library district would create a permanent rate for library services, which would be reduced after local option levies, such as the police levy.

The estimate of $4,656 applies only to the first year of the levy, City Manager Craig Martin said. Subsequent years would vary depending on the rates of other local option levies and the value of property within Sweet Home.

“It sounds like we have revenue issues to fix here,” Councilor Rich Rowley said. A library with stable funding and working right could produce a society that uses police services less.

That means law enforcement may have to do without, Rowley said. “It seems like it’s rather small for the benefit.”

When taking into account the $163,000 already under compression and the compression caused by the proposed Extension Service district, about $4,600, it adds up, Police Chief Bob Burford said.

“I agree that, yes, a well-educated community in theory will at some point pay off,” Burford said. “Where it falls on an amortization table I don’t know.

“Costs for all of us, individuals, private business and local governments are rising. It has always been a struggle to provide adequate protection to our citizens with dollars significantly less than those approved by the voters. This proposed district may be a godsend to many Linn County communities. However, for Sweet Home, I believe the damage outweighs the good.”

Other cities have larger permanent rates than Sweet Home and fund some or most of their police services out of their general funds, Martin said. Sweet Home’s permanent rate is $1.41 per $1,000 and not enough to cover police services, which costs about $6.40 per $1,000.

Only a statewide election, which was attempted in the late 1990s, can change the city’s permanent rate to include police services and place police funding on the same level as other tax rates with regard to compression.

The proposed library district would serve 107,000 persons, including 26,500 county residents who do not have library services available, according to a feasibility study completed by Ruth Metz Associates.

In Sweet Home, it would increase the hours of operation from 34 to 55 per week. Residents of the district will have equal access to the collections of all six library outlets in the district, and a bookmobile will serve rural residents throughout the district.

The district would be operated by a board of five elected members, one from different areas of the district, representing about 20,000 population.

Local cities and library advisory boards would continue, advising the district board in establishing goals and polices. Local friends of the library groups would continue as they are, providing volunteer help and fund-raising efforts.

Cities would continue to own library buildings. The district would pay for operating costs and lease the building for a nominal fee. The proposed district budget does not include a capital improvement reserve fund.

With the difference between the existing library levy rate of 62 cents and the proposed district rate of 68 cents, the study said, a case could be made that service levels are increasing for citizens of Sweet Home.

In other business, the council:

– Recommended to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission approval of a change of ownership at the Bohemian Club Tavern, 1205 Long St. Applying for a liquor license were Clinton, Heather, Phillip and Wendy Pollock doing business as Blacksheep Investments.

– Adopted an ordinance vacating city right-of-way located under the building at 926 Main St.

– Approved the expenditure of up to $21,750 to install new camera equipment at the Police Department and skate park. Some of the upgrades are mandated by the state and federal government. The upgrade will also include the ability to record video digitally

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