West Richland turns to voters to save library

West Richland voters will decide the fate of their library on Nov. 8.

They will consider a property tax levy that would raise about $500,000 per year to continue the city’s contract with the Mid-Columbia Libraries, which has provided West Richland’s library services for 48 years.

The library budget will be depleted by spring, raising the prospect that the city of nearly 14,000 could lose one of its most popular amenities.

“Without a sustainable funding source, the city would have to substantially reduce library services,” said Jessica Platt, West Richland’s finance director.

The city council unanimously agreed July 26 to put the request for a property tax increase, officially a “levy lid lift,” on the ballot. Approval, it says, will put the library on stable financial footing for years to come.

But if the measure fails, the city would likely terminate the contract with the Mid-Columbia Libraries.

In that case, Mayor Brent Gerry said the city of Richland has agreed to provide some form of library services. Richland officials were not available to discuss how such an arrangement might work.

“We’ve got backup,” Gerry told the council.

West Richland’s library crisis began brewing in 2011, when the primary source of revenue to support the library began to decline.

A 2003 voter-approved utility tax paid for library services through a 2.5-percent fee on telephone, electric and gas bills.

But revenue flagged as residents canceled landlines in favor of mobile devices and data plans, which are not taxable. Electric bills fell too, thanks to back-to-back warm winters. Few West Richland homes use natural gas, so it is not a meaningful source of revenue.

The utility tax generated about $365,000 for library services in 2015. The 2016 contract with Mid-Columbia Libraries is nearly $400,000. That does not reflect the cost to maintain the library building at 3801 Van Giesen St. The building is the city’s responsibility..

If voters approve the property tax increase, the city will stop collecting utility taxes at the end of 2016. The difference between paying a higher property tax and the utility tax works out to about $5 more per month for a typical West Richland household.

An online calculator at library.westrichland.org helps residents compare library costs through utility taxes versus property taxes.

If the levy is approved, a home with an assessed value of $250,000 would pay an additional $112.50 annually in property taxes, or $9.38 per month.

Currently, a typical home pays about $55 annually in utility taxes, based on a monthly power bill of $100 per month and a phone bill of $85 per month, or $4.63 per month.

West Richland considered several options before concluding that a property tax levy was the most cost-effective option.

Kyle Cox, executive director for Mid-Columbia Libraries, said West Richland’s reliance on utility taxes to fund the library is unusual. The system offers library services in all of Benton and Franklin counties, save for Richland, which has its own independent library. Cities either annex into the district or contract, typically paying from general fund budgets.

West Richland’s small branch is a busy place, Cox said. It has a staff of eight and is open seven days a week. Residents checked out more than 170,000 items in 2015 and used the digital checkout service at a rate three times higher than the rest of the system.

“Our intent is to stay there as long as possible,” Cox said. “It’s really up to the voters. Is this something they really want to continue?”

Under Washington law, West Richland will recruit citizens to serve on independent committees to write pro and con statements for the library request for the November voters guide. It will post the notice before Aug. 2. Detailed information is at bit.ly/WR-library.

This story was originally published July 30, 2016 at 7:18 PM with the headline "West Richland turns to voters to save library."