Community to library network: Take the tax increase

POST FALLS — Accepting a tax increase and the future impacts of not doing so were major concerns voiced during the Community Library Network’s budget hearing attended by about 35 people on Thursday.

Nearly all of the 16 people who spoke at the Post Falls Library said they are in favor of the board taking a 3% tax increase as allowed by law, which would provide the network with almost $150,000. Many also shared their desire to keep the Post Falls and Hayden libraries open Sundays.

The board majority opposes any tax increases and instead has slashed funding for several items on the proposed budget, including library collections and programming.

The current proposed budget is at $8.4 million, which includes $2.4 million in reserve. Board Chair Rachelle Ottosen has cited religious reasons in discussions to possibly close the Post Falls and Hayden branches on Sundays, which equates to about $28,000 in annual operating costs.

The board also rejected $81,390 in urban renewal funds at a special meeting Tuesday.

Karin Mack of Hayden said she and her family are Sunday morning church-goers as well as frequent library users on Sundays.

“I am appalled that some members of the board are using religion to decide library policy,” she said. “The community is made up of many families like ours. They are busy during the week and use the weekend to get other tasks accomplished. Pushing a religious agenda and dictating how I should spend my Sundays is out of line for a library board.”

Regarding finances, she said she encourages the board to take a tax increase to mitigate cuts to the budget.

“The financial benefit our library receives from the library is far beyond what we pay in taxes,” Mack said. “Though we are often quite conservative with our personal finances, we fully support the small 3% increase in taxes that is so minor compared to the benefit that our family receives from the library.”

A 3% library network budget increase would amount to $149,916 in revenue that would be paid by all property owners throughout the district. For example, a home in Post Falls with an assessed value of $479,000 before applying the homeowners exemption was billed $51.03 for the year in 2022, the equivalent of $4.25 per month, which was for the entire library network budget for that year, roughly $6.3 million.

Mack said it would cost less to pay the increase than to buy one book on Amazon.

“Please consider what any cuts or reductions to the budget would have on the invaluable library programs and services and the ripple effect it may cause,” she said.

As a former employee of the Rathdrum branch of the Community Library Network, Mack said library staff are not paid competitive wages but plans to increase wages are a step in the right direction.

She asked the board to consider the short-sightedness of the proposed budget.

“Rejecting tax increases, cutting library hours, deferring maintenance, micromanaging staff, cutting programming budgets will only lead to a diseased library system in the future," Mack said.

Julius Pekar of Coeur d’Alene stressed the importance of the Community Library Network Bookmobile. He works with 90 seniors, many who don’t have the ability to physically go to the library.

“They really depend on that Bookmobile,” he said.

He said the technology open house the library network offers is also appreciated by the seniors.

“A lot of them don’t know how to use their technology, so a lot of these kids come in from the library and we have a technology open house and they show them how to use their smartphones and their computers,” Pekar said. “It’s an important program, and it’s in line with your strategic plan."

Peggy Schnell of Post Falls said she supports a tax increase to bring library employees’ wages closer to where they should be. She also supports keeping the Hayden and Post Falls libraries open Sundays.

“Not everyone is in church on Sundays, not everyone works a predictable Monday through Friday schedule — hospital and health care employees, police officers, firefighters and grocery store workers do not, to name a few,” she said.

She asked trustees to not defund library activities they don’t understand.

“Unlike the days of Benjamin Franklin, when libraries were mostly about books, and unlike the days when us older folk in the audience, when we were young, libraries were mostly about books,” she said. “Almost everything else has evolved since then. Why not libraries?”

Schnell said as elected officials, trustees are public servants.

“Please serve that public and not your personal beliefs,” Schnell said.

She gave one last statement: “Separation of church and state.”

Regina McCrea, who served on the board for nearly seven years before being ousted in the May election, gave her first public comment to the current board during Thursday’s meeting.

“You are public servants, and from my perspective, this entire budget process has been a disservice to the public,” she said.

McCrea said the board has focused on the wrong areas, gotten into the weeds and engaged in micromanagement, all of which have been a drain on library network staff.

She said it is apparent the board majority does not use the library or attend library programs.

“Rather than try and understand your role, you seem beholden to some other agenda and you do not seem to be open to staff input or recommendations,” McCrea said. “I would implore you to consider their guidance, the guidance of staff and the public input and not your hidden unlawful agenda.”

The next regular meeting of the Community Library Network board is set for 2 p.m. Thursday at the Hayden Library, 8385 N. Government Way. The board may choose to adopt the budget at that meeting or at a special meeting Aug. 18.