Seattle City Council holds public hearing on $410M library levy proposal

(Image: Seattle City Council)

The Seattle City Council will hold a public hearing Thursday evening on Mayor Katie Wilson’s proposed $59 million a year library levy as it heads for an August vote.

CHS reported here on the proposal that would replace the expiring 2019 voter approved version with a new package of more robust funding totaling around $59 million a year from 2027 to 2033. The previous levy weighed in at $31.3 million a year.

Public Hearing information

• WHO:             Select Committee on the Library Levy
• WHAT:            Public Hearing
• WHEN:           Thursday, April 2 at 5:30 p.m.
• WHERE:        Council Chamber, City Hall, 600 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA

Those unable to attend in person can watch a livestream online via the Seattle Channel.

• In-person: Register to speak on the Public Hearing sign-up sheet located inside Council Chambers starting 30 minutes prior to the meeting start time. Registration will end at the conclusion of the Public Hearing.
• Virtual: Register online to speak during the Public Hearing. Online registration to speak remotely will begin two hours before the meeting start time and will end at the conclusion of the Public Hearing. Speakers must be registered in order to be recognized by the Chair.

Included in the jump would be millions for security and social services including a planned $11 million to fund security personnel and $1.2 million to support social service referrals across the 27 library system. The bulk of the funding — $218.4 — would support maintaining current operating hours at the branches while increasing spending on all-ages programs and the new security.

The council’s select committee formed to shape the levy proposal for the August ballot is bringing 14 proposed amendments (PDF) to Wilson’s package including spending to improve physical accessibility and elevators and a stipulation expanding the electronic materials collection ($5 million) and increasing collections staffing ($1.4 million). Another would increase funding contracting for safety ambassadors or outreach workers to serve on Seattle Public Library property.

Wilson’s proposal comes as Seattle is nearing a legal limit on property taxes. CHS reported here on a city hall analysis showing Seattle’s property tax structure is currently operating only about $780 million below legal limits, necessitating a “capacity reserve” to manage potential fluctuations in property values.

According to the analysis, if property values don’t rise, the first challenge will come with the needed renewal of the current Library Levy at the end of the year which must draw on this $780 million over 7 years capacity. Families & Education (2031) and Transportation (2032) levies will also require renewal in the coming years.

$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE

Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month — or choose your level of support