Roundup: Library Votes 2013

We plan to update this post with new and additional material as it becomes available.
Also, John Chrastka From EveryLibrary.org offers comment/analysis about these results in a blog post: “2013 Library Elections “First Look”

Colorado

Lyons Library Tax Trails in Early Returns (via Times-Call)

Connecticut

Tolland Library Bond Question Passes (via Tolland Patch)

$2.6 million appropriation approved for library expansion.
Final Vote

• Yes – 1,707
• No – 1,284 

Idaho

North Bingham County District Library:  Voters Turn Down Shelley Library’s Bond Request (via Idaho State Journal)

Voters shot down North Bingham County District Library’s request for a $5 million bond on Tuesday.
There were 1,251 votes cast against the bond, while only 922 were cast in favor of the request.
Although the bond failed, Heidi Riddoch, director of the library, said she appreciates those who gave their time and effort to the library to help garner support for the bond in recent weeks.
This is the third time the library has failed to pass a bond in recent years, but Riddoch said they won’t give up.

Iowa

Voters Reject Hiawatha Library Levy (via The Gazette)

On Tuesday, voters rejected a measure for a special tax to fund additional staff and an expansion of the Hiawatha Public Library. The proposed levy, which would’ve been for 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation, fell 52.9 percent to 47.1 percent with 949 total votes. The results remain unofficial until the canvass later this month.
“It’s quite disappointing,” said Library Director Jeaneal Weeks. “We were hoping to be able to move forward with more staff.” 

Michigan

Both Alpena Library Millages Pass (via The Alpena News)

Voters in Alpena County overwhelmingly approved a pair of millage requests that will ensure the library will be able to maintain and expand its current programs, as well as continue to maintain and replace structural issues that need addressing.
The first request was a renewal for 10 years at the cost of .0.75 mill. It was approved 3,197 for and 831 against. The second was for five years at 0.25 mill and passed 2,511 yes and 1,493 no.

Bath Township Millage Request for Library Fails (via Lansing State Journal)
Saginaw Public Library Tax Renewal Cruises to Easy Win at the Polls (via MLive)

The renewal of a 10-year, 1.2983-mill tax to support Saginaw public library operations was approved by wide margins in the city, Zilwaukee and Kochville Township on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
The vote tally was 4,039 in favor of the renewal and 826 opposed.

Superior District Library Millage Passes (via Soo Evening News)

Yes 2,926
No 2,743
With Mackinac County votes included

Wayne County, Michigan Votes (via Detroit News)

• Dearborn Heights (Pass)

• Flat Rock (Pass)

• Grosse Ile Township Library (Pass)

New Jersey

East Greenwich Township Library Referendum Fails (via NJ.com)

East Greenwich residents also defeated a referendum to leave the Gloucester County Library System and open their own municipal library.
According to unofficial results 77.55 percent voted no while 22.45 percent voted to approve the measure.
The township’s branch of the GCLS will be closed in January when the lease on the current building is up. The East Greenwich Library Association —” a group of volunteers with interests in the town’™s library — waged a campaign to get a referendum on the ballot to therefore leave the county system entirely and after a mandatory two-year waiting period, open their own town library.

New York

Crandall Public Library budget passes overall (via Glen Falls Post Star)

Residents in Glens Falls and Queensbury voted Tuesday to accept the 2014 Crandall Public Library budget, 5,287 to 3,330, but it was narrowly defeated in Moreau, according to unofficial results from the Board of Elections in Warren and Saratoga counties.
Library Director Kathy Naftaly said the budget did pass overall, however, as it is the majority of the votes that decide the outcome.
Overall, the budget passed 6,552 to 4,650.

Rhinebeck voters OK jump in Morton Memorial Library funding (via Daily Freeman)

Town residents this week voted to more than double the amount the Morton Memorial Library collects in taxes.
The Tuesday vote in favor of increasing the tax levy from $35,000 to $77,000 per year was 1,146-

Ohio

Ashtabula County District Library Additional Levy Approved (via Star Beacon)
 

The unofficial tally was 5,024 votes for and 4,964 votes against — passing the 1.25-mill, 10-year levy by 60 votes, according to the unofficial results from the Ashtabula County Board of Elections.
Library officials are optimistic their win will hold up, but are not throwing a party quite yet.
Final numbers will be ready Nov. 26, said Carol Lovas, director of Ashtabula County Board of Elections.
There are 170 provisional ballots to count, as well as absentee ballots, Lovas said.
“That could make a difference,” she said.

Cleveland Library Dist Tax Levy Reneval Approved (via Cleveland.com)
Hamilton County: Voters Approve Public Library Issue 1 Levy, to Keep Operations Funded

All precincts reported that the levy was approved. Those in favor of the tax outweighed those against it. It was approved by 80 percent on people at the polls.
The Issue 1 proposed to help Public Library keep operations and offset lost state funds. With continued local funding, about $181 million is expected to be produced over the next ten years.

See Also: Chart Showing Final Hamilton County Vote (via Cincinnati.com)
Pike County: Garnet A. Wilson Public Library Renewal Levy Passes (via Chillicothe Gazette) 

Another levy that received overwhelming support at the polls on election night was the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library renewal levy. The 1-mill operating levy, first passed in 2009, helped when it was initially passed to restore crucial funding that had been cut by the state.
“With state revenues still below 2009 levels, these levy funds are more important than ever, as it provides 40 percent of the budget for our library and its four branches,” Pike County Library Director Tom Adkins said. “I am so thankful to the voters in Pike County for supporting our libraries. After the final count, we received 71.86 percent of the vote for the levy. I was thrilled, because we were really hoping to be at a higher percentage than we had in 2009.”

Troy Library Levy Passes (via Troy Daily News)

The 6-mill renewal levy – which received roughly 65 percent of the votes for the levy when it was last on the ballot in 2009 – had 4,903 votes for and 1,925 people against.
“I’m very appreciative for the people in our community that have continued to be supportive of our library,” Troy-Miami County Public Library Director Rachelle Miller said. “I’m ecstatic! It’s not just the levy – the community has always, always supported us. I’m extremely happy that people went out and voted and showed us support. I’m also extremely happy with the ongoing support from the community.”

Warren County: Franklin Library Levy Passes (via Cincinnati.com) 
Worthington:  Library Levy Passes (via Worthington Libraries)

The permanent levy, which replaces a 22-year, 2.2-mill levy passed by voters in 1992, will generate an estimated $3.9 million annually for the library system, which includes three locations. The Library also collects property taxes from a 2.6-mill permanent levy passed in 2005

Oregon

Cornelius Library Bond Measure Loses, Unofficial Special Election Results Show (via The Oregonian)

Cornelius voters turned down a 20-year, $2.4 million ballot measure to fund a new city library, early election results indicated.

Corvallis Library Tax Levy Renewal and Extension Passes (via Gazette-Times)

Measure 02-86, a five-year levy, will charge property owners approximately 82 cents per $1,000 of assessed value and pay for services at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, the Osborn Aquatic Center, the Senior Center and for new positions in the Corvallis Police Department, Fire Department and Community Development Department.
The new levy, which will raise more than $3 million per year and approximately $17 million during its five-year span, also would restore Sunday hours at the library.

Pennsylvania

Library Tax Questions: Parkland Area Says No, Salisbury Township Says Yes (via Morning Call)

The effort to build a spacious new Parkland Community Library suffered a setback Tuesday, with voters rejecting a bid to raise the library tax to help pay for the project.
Salisbury Township voters, meanwhile, were firmly behind retaining a tax that gives them access to the Allentown library system. Unofficial election results showed 71 percent of voters supporting the township’s two-decade-old library tax, with 6 of 8 precincts reporting.
The Parkland Community Library Board had placed a referendum on the ballot in South and North Whitehall townships and Upper Macungie Township asking voters to increase the tax 0.2978 mills, or $29.78 per $100,000 of assessed property value. The tax is currently 0.1 mills.
But with 18 of 19 precincts reporting by 11 p.m., more than 5,200 voters — just over 58 percent — had said no.

Voters Approve New Tax in Three Boroughs To Fund Carnegie Library of Homestead in Munhall, PA (via TribLive.com)

Three boroughs out of four approved a 0.33-mill property tax to fund Carnegie Library of Homestead.
Whitaker voters narrowly rejected the idea, 88-81, but it was accepted in Munhall (1,094-652), Homestead (180-112) and West Homestead (189-114).

South Carolina

Richland County Voters approve $59 Million for Library Additions (via The State)

The measure passed easily, with voters saying they’re proud of the system built 20 years ago and want to keep it relevant in the digital age, adding more technology and expanding its mission.
“I’m overwhelmed by people’s trust and belief in us,” said library director Melanie Huggins, who will execute the plan to renovate the main library downtown and expand nine of 10 branches scattered around the county.

Texas

Round Round Libraries: $23.2 Million Bond Proposition Passes (via Austin American-Statesman)

Proposition 3, which seeks $23.2 million for a new main library downtown and either the renovation of the current library or building a new branch library, captured about 60 percent of the vote (3,459 in favor, 2,293 against).

Seguin: Voters embrace new park and library (via Seguin Gazette)

On Proposition No. 1 proposing $14.8 million in bonds for a new library, 2,132 or 62.8 percent voted for it, and 1,265 or 37.2 percent voted against.

Utah

‘Save the Library’ and Road Tax Fail in Highland (The Daily Herald)

Councilman-elect Rod Mann has told the Daily Herald he would like to see part-time library staff replaced with volunteers to free up cash for more books. He’d like to encourage more public donations, and consider negotiating to make it a satellite of the American Fork library. Or fundraise millions to create an endowment that would fund the library in perpetuity.
Mayor-elect Mark Thompson said the library is not a legal requirement, he said.
“I do not want to close the library, but I do want to look at how to continue funding it,” Thompson said. “We need a plan for how we are going to grow it to be a bigger library. I’m probably the person conservative enough to ride herd on this situation.”

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