California: Library Tax Passes in Santa Clara County, Funding Extended for Another 20 Years

From the San Jose Mercury News:

Santa Clara County’s Measure A library tax passed, continuing existing funding for another 20 years, officials reported Wednesday.
The final, unofficial results indicate that Measure A passed by 81 percent of those who responded to the mail-only balloting. Measure A asked for a continuation of the existing special tax rates of $33.66 per single-family home without any increase in taxes for the next 20 years.
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Participation in the mail-only balloting was light, with only about a fourth of the ballots returned. The county mailed 202,505 ballots to library district residents at the end of July. But the county Registrar of Voters reported that of the ballots issued, only 55,149 were returned by the Aug. 27 deadline.

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From the Mountain View Voice:

The $6.2 million raised through the tax each year accounts for 18 percent of the Santa Clara County Library District’s budget. The district is governed by the Library Joint Powers Authority of Santa Clara County’s board, Frost said.
The money will be used to purchase up-to-date books and research materials; provide children’s reading programs and mobile book services for seniors and the disabled; maintain library hours; retain qualified librarians, and other library services, according to the measure.

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