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The measure would keep the current tax rate unchanged, but library officials say its failure could mean eventually cutting staff, reducing hours and limiting new materials and programs.
Voters in the Fern Ridge Library District will decide in the May 19 election whether to renew the district’s five-year local option levy, which funds staff, library materials, and other programs and services.
The levy, passed by 58% of voters in 2020, expires in 2027. The renewal would not increase the district’s annual levy rate, currently 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value — a rate that has not changed since voters passed a 10-cent increase in 2017.
District officials estimate the levy would raise $2.57 million over five years if voters renew it.
The district operates one library in Veneta and serves more than 10,000 residents in the city and surrounding areas, including much of the Fern Ridge School District and the unincorporated communities of Elmira, Noti and Walton. It has about 3,500 library cardholders.
For a property with an assessed value of $235,623 — the current median in Lane County, according to the county assessor — the local option levy would equal $82.47 per year.
Library Director Colin Rea said the renewal of the levy would allow the library to remain open six days a week by helping pay for essential staff.
The library is currently open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, according to the district’s website.
The district projects the levy would raise $484,000 in revenue in its first year — about 30% of its current fiscal year budget.
Rea said that if the levy fails in May, the district could place it on the ballot again in November or May 2027. The district has two election cycles before the current levy funding runs out, he said.
If voters do not renew the levy by May 2027, Rea said that the library would likely only be open three days a week starting in July 2027 due to staffing reductions. The district could dip into nearly $2 million in reserves to temporarily stay open longer than three days a week, he added.
However, Rea said he’s not sure how many of the library’s roughly seven-member staff would be laid off or have their hours reduced if that happened. He said that’s because most of the library’s employees are part of the Oregon School Educators Association and the district would have to negotiate with union officials, who may try to get the district to dip into its reserves.
Without levy funding, Rea said the library would likely no longer have a materials budget, leaving it with little to no money to buy new books.
Rea also said the levy’s failure would likely lead to significant reductions in library programs, which are all free and include 160 children’s programs — such as a LEGO club.
How to learn more
The library district will send out a community mailer to provide more information about the levy to voters, Rea said.
The city of Veneta will be hosting an open house from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 9, at City Hall, 88184 Eighth St., Veneta. The event, which aims to help residents better understand local property taxes, will include a “Property Tax 101 presentation” from City Administrator Matt Michel and opportunities to speak with representatives from other local governments, including the Fern Ridge Library District.
Rea said he will be at the event to answer questions about the levy, and city officials said representatives from the Lane Fire Authority will also be there to discuss the fire authority’s separate May levy measure.
