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City Voters Should Support Library District Annexation
By Ken Graham
When I recently talked to Columbia County Assessor Chris Miller about library annexation, I'm sure she could see my eyes quickly glaze over. Thankfully, she maintained her patience as she slowly worked me through how annexation of the City of Dayton into the Columbia County Rural Library District (CCRLD) would affect property tax payers in the city. And she patiently listened to my dumb questions. It's pretty complicated, but I think I finally got it.
Normally, when voters are asked to approve a measure that affects their property taxes, voting yes means you pay more. This time is an exception. Really.
The annexation measure will be on the August ballot for voters in the city. If approved, the city of Dayton will become part of the CCRLD, which currently encompasses only the unincorporated areas of Columbia County.
Miller explained very carefully how approval will simply mean that every dollar city taxpayers pay to the library district will be offset by a dollar reduction in what the City's general fund receives from property taxes.
Here's Miller's description of the law in a letter she wrote to the City in January: "Total Statutory Rate allowed by law for tax collection by Cities annexed into Fire and/or Library Districts is $3.60. The rate that applies for City tax collection is the $3.60 less the fire district levy and the library district levy."
Property tax payers in Dayton currently pay $3.60 per thousand dollar valuation toward combined city, fire and library services. If annexation is approved, they will continue to pay that combined rate for those services, but the Library portion will be paid directly to the District, rather than to the City.
Here are the three major impacts that will result if annexation is approved:
- The annual net change to the City's general fund will be positive – estimated by the City to be about $13,000, based on current budgets. (See article on page six for an explanation.)
- The library will once again be operated by its owners.
- For the first time, city and county taxpayers will support library services on an equal basis.
If annexation is approved, the Library District will receive fewer funds from city taxpayers than the City pays out now. However, the District still strongly favors annexation. This is because annexation and ownership of the library facility will allow the District to maintain a consistent long-term budget focused totally on providing library services and not subject to cuts due to unrelated budget constraints.
Dayton's mayor and City Council unanimously support annexation. The CCRLD's Board of Trustees supports annexation. I believe annexation is in the best interest of city taxpayers and library patrons. City voters should vote yes on this measure.