The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Voters hear library pleas, OK all 8 requests

Ferguson attempts suicide after being found guilty on all 32 counts
11/21/09
Neighbors still trying  to recover from fatal fire
11/20/09
Churches want end to ‘shooting and killing’
11/20/09
Gun turn-in will include some questions
11/20/09
State jobless rate jumps to 10.5 percent
11/20/09
> More headlines

By Lynn Hulsey, Staff Writer Updated 2:54 AM Wednesday, November 4, 2009

DAYTON — Library levies won across the Miami Valley on Tuesday, Nov. 3, as voters responded to library officials’ calls for help in midst of deep state budget cuts.

The Dayton Metro Library levy was winning with 98 percent of the precincts counted. Yes votes totaled 71 percent and no votes totaled 29 percent.

“It certainly underscores what people have been telling us about the importance of libraries,” said Dayton Metro Library Director Tim Kambitsch. “I think this vote is telling everybody that people really think libraries are important.”

“That’s wonderful news. It was a lot of hard work by board members, by staff, by friends of the library, the library foundation,” said Beverly Arthur-Jones, president of the board of trustees. “People got the word out to the residents of Oakwood about the value of the library.”

Levies for library systems in Greene County, Tipp City, Troy-Miami County, Springboro-Franklin, Lebanon and Waynesville appeared to also have passed, according to final unofficial results from the Warren, Greene and Miami County boards of elections.

“I am very grateful that the people in our service area saw the need was real,” said Rachelle Miller, library director for the Troy-Miami County Public Library.

“We are very grateful,” said Mark Mabelitini, director of the Tipp City Public Library. “We are looking forward to again providing the services we are used to providing for (residents).”

The Dayton Metro Library’s 1.75-mill replacement levy is a continuing levy. It would replace and increase the existing 5-year, 1.25-mill levy that expires Dec. 30. The existing levy brings in $9 million annually.

The new levy would generate $13.6 million annually.

The Wright Memorial Library’s 0.5-mill, 5-year levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $15.31 annually. The levy would bring in $158,000 annually.

All area libraries have struggled with state budget cuts and eight area library systems were on the ballot today.

Dayton Metro Library officials had warned that failure of the new levy would be catastrophic, with revenues dropping by 35 percent. State funding reductions already led to big budget cuts. They said failure of the new levy would result in layoffs, cuts in hours, closing of branches, and dramatic reductions in the purchase of books and materials.

The new levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $53.59 annually, up from the current annual levy cost of $35.06.

The Dayton Metro library serves the entire county, but the levy is not voted on or assessed in Oakwood, Centerville-Washington Twp. and Germantown, which have their own library systems.

Staff writer Nancy Bowman contributed to this report.

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

Please, can we pay more taxes? I love the library and hate to see people receive less of a service. However at what point do we hold the state responsible for financial mismanagement and poor planning? Sometimes there are consequences for bad decisions. Taxpayers are constantly having to dig into their pockets to bail out bad decision makers. I am tired of it. It is time we let bad decisions run their course. People need to start realizing that bad decisions may lead to undesirable consequences.

Yes2GovtSpending
7:52 PM, 11/4/2009

REPORT ABUSE

I hope that the people upset about the high taxes they're paying don't support public option healthcare. That's another chunk waiting to be taken out.

anotherNoNamer
7:43 PM, 11/4/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Property owners pay more to ensure that their home value doesn't decrease and their neighborhood remains viable. Crappy libraries, schools, parks, community=lowered property values and no future business prospects and a downward spiral from there. That's why we voted YES to libraries!

I. Nation
7:09 PM, 11/4/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Let memlist all of the levies that affect my properety taxes: Dayton Public Schools, Sinclait Community College, 2 Health and Human Resource levies, The libraries, the parks, those are the ones that come out the wood work seeking money lately. User fees, payroll deductions, and/or sales tax increases should be way all of paying for the services that are provided .
As long as everyone is paying for the services provided I have no issue with paying mine as well.

Dennis M.
6:30 PM, 11/4/2009

REPORT ABUSE

And that's hit the nail on the head, U2

Colleen P.
5:50 PM, 11/4/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There are 46 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.