County library district could shuffle funds

Commissioners poised to OK plan to shore up popular service

 Thursday, July 7, 2011

By Steve Law, The Portland Tribune

Multnomah County libraries — among the most heavily used and beloved libraries in the nation — have relied on “temporary” tax levies to keep the doors open for 35 years.

That could be about to change.

Multnomah County commissioners are poised to put a county library district measure on the November ballot. The measure, which proved popular with voters in a March poll, would provide permanent property tax funding for the library system, starting at about $63 million a year, freeing $10 million a year in the oft-pinched county budget. 

The catch? The city of Portland would lose an estimated $5 million a year, because of voter-approved property tax limitations.

But after complaining for years that the city keeps too much property off the county tax rolls via longrunning urban renewal districts, county commissioners expect to vote this month or next to put the library district on the ballot.

“I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of suspense about the vote,” says County Commissioner Judy Shiprack.

Shiprack and fellow Commissioner Diane McKeel both say they’ll support the library district idea. Commissioner Loretta Smith would provide the third and deciding vote. “I think she’s inclined to support it,” says Smith chief of staff Chris Warner.

County Chair Jeff Cogen is “leaning” toward supporting the district, says county spokesman David Austin. Commissioner Deborah Kafoury says she’s still undecided, “not that it matters.”

Cogen has already assured Local 88 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents some 500 library workers, that they’ll keep the status quo on wages and benefits once the library district is formed. Library workers must form a new collective-bargaining unit and negotiate a new contract if voters OK the library district.

Library backers enthused

“I haven’t heard anybody who says this is not a good idea for the library,” says Jerry Hudson, vice chairman of The Library Foundation, which raises private donations for the county libraries.

Multnomah County library circulation has grown 182 percent in 15 years, despite the advent of Facebook, smart phones and other demands on peoples’ time. In one sign of the library system’s popularity, the library foundation has raised $38 million in the past 16 years. The volunteer group Friends of the Library includes 1,100 members.

The two support groups plunked down a combined $221,000 on June 28 into the Libraries Yes! Committee, a political action committee expected to run the library district ballot measure campaign.

The only suspense has been whether the commissioners would vote to put a library district on the November ballot or choose another five-year library levy, to replace the one expiring next July. 

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