(The Center Square) – Seattle City Council members say the city’s aging library system is desperately in need of more money, voting Wednesday to add nearly $70 million to the mayor Katie Wilson’s proposed $410 million tax levy.
The $479,760 proposal, if approved by the voters on August 4, would increase the amount property owners currently pay to fund the library system by more than 124%.
It would also put the city within $210 million of a state debt limit, meaning other voter approved tax increases for fixing roads and streets, funding pre-school programs and affordable housing, might not be able to be fully funded when they start expiring in 2030.
Seattle property owners pay more than $3 billion in voter approved tax levies, measures not covered by the city’s regular budget, which can only grow by 1% a year under state law.
In addition, more tax levies could be in the works to fix the aging Settle Center, home of many cultural institutions, and Pike Place Market, the city’s top tourist destination.
“This is not about who loves the libraries more,” said Councilwoman Maritza Rivera, who is chairing the Select Committee on the Library Levy. “This is about fiscal responsibility and ability to pay for all of our needs.”
Library taxes, assuming a median house value of $872,000, would amount to $191 a year from each year from 2027 to 2033, up from the current average of $85 a year under the plan council members approved.
Current levy expiring
The current library levy, which expires at the end of this year, was approved by 71% of the voters back in 2019.
Wednesday’s 7-0 vote by The Select Committee on The Library Levy goes to the full City Council on April 14. But that vote is just a formality since the select committee is made up of the entire city council.
While Rivera opposed the amendments to Wilson’s original plan, she ultimately voted in favor of the growing levy.
Wilson had proposed last month a plan, while almost double what the levy was in 2019, essentially keep the library operational. But her plan had a minimum money for maintenance and upkeep and new print and audiobooks.
Council members approved 13 amendments Wednesday that would increase diversity programs by offering pre-school programs in languages other than English, money to fix broken elevators and escalators, more outreach coordinators for the homeless, more security guards and air conditioning and earth proofing some of the aging facilities in the 27-library system.
Councilwoman Alexis Mercedes Rinck’s amendment added $2.4 million to a program offering best selling books. She noted she was at a branch this past weekend and picked up the popular book by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a posthumous memoir detailing her experience as a trafficking victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
She said funding the ability for Seattle residents to read such books will “mean that more people will not face a financial barrier to participate in a national dialogue.”
Disabled access amendment
Councilman Dan Strauss said his $8.2 million amendment was about allowing access to the library for seniors and the disabled.
He mentioned the Greenwood branch, which has underground parking and an elevator that has broken down at times, preventing access for seniors and the disabled.
“And if the elevator is not working, you can’t get inside,” he said, “You can’t access all the books that we’re talking about.”
Councilwoman Dionne Foster’s $10 million amendment fixed elevators and escalators in the city’s flagship branch downtown, which is 22-years-old.
“I do want to say I was not in cahoots with the elevator and escalator at the central library to have them break down this week,” she said, citing the need for the infusion of money.
Strauss countered Rivera’s concern about fiscal responsibility. He said if it turns out later that the city is exceeding the levy cap, it could always reduce library services at that point.
But Rivera insisted city officials needed to be cautious.
“We know that there are other needs that are coming,” she said.
President to punish cities
Trump has taken the position that left leaning sanctuary cities that protect illegal immigrants like Seattle should be punished for their policies, putting at risk $120 million in transportation, senior services, nutrition and housing programs.
But regardless of Trump, the city of Seattle also faces an approximately $150 million deficit next year, as taxes to the city coffers have not been able to keep up with city expenditures.
While Councilwoman Maritza Rivera, who chaired the library levy committee, ultimately voted to approve the tax package, she voted against amendments by her fellow council members that increased the levy by almost $70 million.
Rivera said with the amendments the city was coming within $230 million of a state levy limit.
