How long will the tax increase last?
The bonds will be authorized for up to twenty-one years.
Will the tax rate for the building bond be the same every year?
No. It will vary somewhat year to year, dependent on the assessed valuation of the property, and other factors.
Are there any exemptions to the proposed property tax?
The State of Washington has a property tax exemption program. The program is available to taxpayers who are, on December 31 of the year before the taxes are due, at least 61 years of age or older; OR retired from regular gainful employment by reason of disability; OR a veteran of the armed forces [...]
How much is the Library contributing to this capital project?
The NOLS Board of Trustees has designated use of up to $1,000,000 from Library reserves to supplement bond funds, if the ballot measures are approved. This amount represents approximately half of the reserve funds NOLS has set aside to support capital projects and maintenance at all NOLS facilities. NOLS will also support collection expansion [...]
Didn’t we already vote for a new library in 2010?
You may be remembering the 2010 "levy lid lift," which was about library operations and services, not a library building. In 2010 citizens county-wide voted to restore NOLS’ operating levy, which had eroded over time to 33¢/$1000 of Assessed Valuation, to the 50¢/$1000 originally approved in 1978. The 2018 Sequim LCFA vote is specifically about [...]
Didn’t I already pay for the expansion of the Port Angeles Library?
Unless you own property located in the City of Port Angeles your taxes did not support the 1998 expansion of the Main Library, which is located in Port Angeles. Those bonds and levies were approved and paid for only by Port Angeles residents. In addition to providing library service in Port Angeles, the Main [...]
Will more staff be hired if a new building is built?
In many ways the existing building is quite inefficient to run, because it is not designed for 21st century services, and the crowded conditions and lack of storage space prevent effective work flows. An absolute requirement of the Future Library design was that it must support efficient and cost effective operation, and not include any [...]
Can’t you make the project cheaper?
NOLS believes the community should have the opportunity to vote on funding the library it asked for. The conceptual plan reflects the library that the community envisioned through a series of public input activities. Expert cost estimating was applied to the conceptual plan to determine the project costs, and develop the funding plan. A [...]
Why do communities still bother building or expanding libraries? Hasn’t the internet made libraries a thing of the past?
Numerous studies, well supported in Clallam County by local usage data, confirm that public libraries continue to be a strong and vital component of their communities. Libraries have adapted well to a changing society, and continue to meet community needs in new and innovative ways, including internet access, digital resources, help with internet navigation, [...]
Why are libraries so expensive to build?
Public libraries are unique in many ways. The “live load” capacity of a public library is about 150 lbs. per square foot, more similar to warehouses than offices or schools. Furnishings and equipment must be able to withstand heavy public use for an extended time, and of course technology infrastructure is expensive. The cost [...]