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The Oregonian
Liberate the Library
There’s no good reason for one of the county’s most popular services to be dependent on temporary funding
By The Oregonian Editorial Board
October 4, 2010
Portlanders love their libraries, including Central Library in downtown Portland.
Residents of Multnomah County are madly in love with their library. And some may be surprised to learn that this relationship isn't permanent. Yes, after all this time.
Every few years, Multnomah County Library must return to voters for renewal of a five-year property tax levy -- which covers two-thirds of the library's $61.9 million budget.
"Here you have maybe the best public library in the country," says state librarian Jim Scheppke, "and they're on what's essentially temporary funding.
"That's just astounding."
Yes, it is. So earlier this year, the county's Charter Review Committee recommended charter changes that could stabilize a precarious situation. The result is Measure 26-119.*
If these charter changes are approved by voters, they would not -- repeat not -- create a countywide library service district with a new property tax rate, dedicated solely to the library. However, the measure does open the door to that possibility.
Currently, under state law, the county is required to gain the consent of the city to put a measure creating a countywide library service district on the ballot.
That means the city could, potentially, obstruct creation of a district. Maybe it wouldn't do that. But it's not being paranoid to imagine that the city could be less than enthusiastic about creation of a library district. All taxing jurisdictions compete for increasingly slim slices of the pie.
Under Measure 26-119*, the county board, and the county board alone, would have the authority to move the question to a ballot. Voters would take it from there.
Library supporters have already indicated that, given the sour economy, they have no plans to propose creation of a district right away. In fact, they intend to seek renewal of the library's operating levy next year, before it expires in 2012.
But streamlining the eventual creation of a district makes sense. The question should really be between voters and the library, not subject to third-party interference.
Right now, the library is the county's most popular service -- and, in many ways, the county is hitched to the library's star. To sever the connection would probably be harmful to the county. But Measure 26-119* doesn't sever it; the county board would serve as the library district's board of directors.
The measure also doesn't force voters to make a commitment. The relationship is going strong, though. In our view, it's time to make it permanent.
Still nervous? Fine. But moving the county a few steps closer to the goal of permanent funding for a beloved institution is a sensible and responsible thing to do. Vote "yes" on Measure 26-119.*
*Please note the correct measure number is 26-114.
Willamette Week
(An excerpt regarding the library measure from Willamette Week's political endorsements.)
By WW Editorial Staff
October 13, 2010
 Library District
What’s the problem?The Multnomah County Library runs mainly on money from five-year levies, which is not a permanent and stable source of funding.
What’s the proposed solution? Give county commissioners the option of asking voters to form a special taxing district.
This one screams, “Camel’s nose under the tent!” But as reporters who are often skeptical of these levies that break out mom and apple pie for taxpayers to cover, we’re willing to give the beast an entrance. The library depends on passing a levy every five years to cover more than half its budget. Library boosters have settled on a permanent taxing district as the best way to ensure stable funding. Under current rules, all six city councils in the county—from Portland down to tiny Maywood Park—would need to approve even putting the question on the ballot. And given Portland Mayor Sam Adams’ shenanigans with the county (offering to trade votes with former County Chairman Ted Wheeler last year on completely unrelated issues), we can’t trust Portland to make good-faith decisions. This charter change will allow the county commissioners to decide, without approval from the cities, whether to ask voters at some point in the future to approve a library district. We think that decision should be directly in voters’ hands, without the city councils being allowed to use our library as a political football for Adams or anyone else.
The Portland Tribune
Give our libraries, museums support
Editorial, The Portland Tribune
October 14, 2010
Nothing is more fundamental to democracy — and to a community’s livability — than a quality library system and an appreciation for the lessons of history.
Unfortunately, two of these basic institutions in our community — the Multnomah County Library system and the Oregon Historical Society museum — find themselves today without a firm financial foundation for the future. Multnomah County voters can rectify that situation by approving Measure 26-114 and Measure 26-118 on Nov. 2.
Measure 26-114, a county charter amendment, would open the door to establish, at some future point, a library district to provide stable funding for the county’s well-loved library system. The library now relies on a temporary levy that must be renewed every five years for most of its funding.
Converting that levy to a permanent district is not without ramifications. Due to Oregon’s tax limitation laws, a new taxing district would affect funding for other agencies — most notably the city of Portland. But libraries are too important not to be considered a basic service worthy of permanent funding. Plus, under this measure, no one is asking for money yet. The measure simply allows the discussion to occur during a future election cycle.
The history proposal — Measure 26-118 — would provide a small amount of funding to keep open the Oregon Historical Society’s downtown museum and to support history museums in East Multnomah County. The rate (about $15 per year on a $300,000 home) is low and the cause — preserving history and sharing history with the public — is valuable.
Multnomah County voters should approve both Measures 26-114 and 26-118 in the Nov. 2 election.
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