Lackluster support for Eugene library.

Byline: Edward Russo The Register-Guard

E l e c t i o n 2 0 0 6

The Eugene Public Library is a city favorite, with more than 1 million people annually visiting the grand downtown building and its two suburban branches.

The number of books, CDs and other items that patrons check out has almost doubled, from 1.4 million in 1998 to 2.5 million last year.

Yet a four-year operating levy to maintain service at the main library and the branches barely passed in Tuesday's election, 52 percent to 48 percent in final unofficial results.

The levy campaign faced no organized opposition, but only 1,951 votes separated the winners (29,028 votes) from the losers (27,077 votes). It was the third time city voters approved an operating levy for the library, with the margin of victory the slimmest ever.

Compare that election squeaker to the romp of a win for the city's $27.5 million park bond measure, approved 58 percent to 42 percent, with an 9,410 vote margin of victory.

Libraries and parks: two features residents like best about Eugene, but their affiliated ballot measures drew different responses from some voters.

A mystery?

Not to levy opponents, some of whom say the city shouldn't have to charge extra to provide a basic service such as a library.

Neil Anderson, who voted against the library operating levy, said the city already collects enough in taxes to run the library. If the city wants more, it should seek private donations from individuals or foundations, he said. "They need to go after operating capital that way, instead of going after voters," Anderson said.

Starting next year, the new levy will raise $2.7 million annually, or about one quarter of the library's budget. It will cost property owners about 23 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, or $34.50 on a house assessed at $150,000.

The Public Library Advisory Board met Wednesday, relieved the levy won.

If the levy had failed, city officials would have had to plug a budget gap, perhaps by closing the Bethel and Sheldon branches, cutting hours at the main library and reducing book buying and youth and adult programs.

Merle Bottge, chairwoman of the Advisory Board and of the pro-levy campaign, said Tuesday's election showed that the next four years of the operating levy may be the last.

"I don't think the voters said, `We don't want the library,' " she said. "But maybe the operating levy is not the way to fund the library on an ongoing basis."

Past election results suggest Eugene voters have grown tired of the levy.

The measure won 63 percent of the vote in its first time on the ballot. That number dropped to 56 percent four years later and, now, to 52 percent. Compared with eight years ago, the number of residents voting for the measure this election actually declined by 1,759, while 8,923 more residents voted against it.

Statewide on Tuesday, five library operating levies were approved by voters, who rejected three others.

Realizing the risk of relying on short-term levies for much of the library budget, the City Council in May decided to cut the next proposed levy in half, with the goal of ending it by 2012.

If a future council agrees, all of the money to operate the library starting that year would come from the city's property-tax supported general fund. Eugene officials hope growth in general fund revenues can absorb the extra expense. If not, the library would have to compete with other city priorities.

Even with the levy narrowly approved Tuesday, the city is trying to wean itself off the tax. The new levy, at 23 cents per $1,000, is a drop from the expiring levy of 46 cents per $1,000. Concerned that voters would reject the library tax, City Councilor Bonny Bettman led the effort to phase out the levy.

"I am relieved that the council supported this approach, because had my motion failed and we had tried for the full levy, I think voters would not have supported it," she said.