Threatened OR System Faces Funding Levy in May

-- Library Journal, 02/15/2007

Patrons of the Jackson County Library Services, the 15-branch Oregon system scheduled to close April 6, got a bit of good news last week when county officials agreed to put a new funding levy for the library on the ballot May 15. "Yes, this is a Band-aid, but it's also a good faith effort to build a bridge to get to a permanent solution," said County Commissioner C. W. Smith. According to the library's blog, the levy would add $110.22 in taxes annually on a house with an assessed value of $167,000, the county average. The three-year levy would raise $8.3 million to replace longstanding federal timber subsidies that are no longer available to the county absent Congressional action.