4 • The Southwest Portland Post
NEWS
October 2012
Library district would create single source of funding for Multnomah County
By Jillian Daley
The Southwest Portland Post
Half a million people in the Port-
land metro area carry a Multnomah
County Library card, said library sup-
porter Tom Mattox during a presenta-
tion before Hillsdale Neighborhood
Association on September 5.
“Now more than ever, we really
need the services of the library,” Mat-
tox said. “We love the library. It’s one
of the safe, educational places we can
use for free. It’s a central part of our
democracy.”
A county measure on the November
ballot would form a library district
with a permanent rate. A library dis-
trict is an independent entity with
dedicated property tax revenue.
To support the library district,
homeowners would pay up to $1.24
per $1,000 of assessed property value.
It will be $1.18 for the first five years,
increasing in $.01 increments during
the next five years. The district takes
effect in 2013.
If approved, Multnomah County’s
new district would be the 25th library
district in Oregon, according to the
Multnomah County Library website.
“One of the prides of the Hillsdale
Neighborhood is we have one of the
biggest, baddest libraries, LEED-
certified” said resident Arnie Panitch
after Mattox’s presentation. “So if
we don’t vote for (the district) then
there’s something cockeyed.” LEED
is an acronym for Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design.
The library district revenue would
restore and retain library services
such as summer reading, books, stu-
dent support, job seeking support
and outreach to senior citizens. It also
would prevent reductions in services,
programs, activities and hours at the
library’s 19 locations, according to the
measure filed with the county.
“The number of libraries has been
expanding, which also adds to operat-
ing costs,” said Ruth Adkins, a Board
of Education member attending the
neighborhood association meeting.
“There was some concern that they
built more than they could support.”
Mattox said Adkins’ comment
reminded him of something. “One
thing I read, if you took all the square
space of the libraries – downtown and
all of the branches – they would all
fit inside the Seattle Public Library,”
he said.
Currently, 24 percent of Multnomah
County Library funding comes from
the county general fund and 66 per-
cent comes from a library levy. The
remaining 10 percent comes from
sources such as fees, fines and grants,
according to the library website.
The library’s local option levy was
renewed in May. Through the levy,
homeowners pay $0.89 per 1,000 dol-
lars assessed value.
Hillsdale Neighborhood Associa-
Multnomah County Library supporter Tom Mattox delivered a presentation on
the proposed library district during the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association
meeting in September. (Post photo by Jillian Daley)
tion chairman Mikal Apenes said he
was curious as to how the library
district would affect the current fund-
ing structure. “What happens to the
funding that comes from the county?”
Mattox replied if the library district
were approved, the library no longer
would receive supplemental funding
from the county. “That will actually
free up a little money in the county to
spend on other things,” Mattox said.
If voters approve the library dis-
trict, it would supersede years Two
and Three of the freshly renewed
three-year levy, according to the li-
brary’s website. The district would
become the single source of funding
for the library.
Mattox said voters should support
the library because so many people
depend on it. “We are the second busi-
est library system in the country,” he
said. “Does anybody know who the
first is?”
“New York,” called out a couple of
people at the meeting. “That’s right,”
Mattox said.
For more information, go to www.
multcolib.org/about/funding/funding-
faq.html.