Mahoning library levy passage actually would lower taxes

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County public library officials face the challenge of explaining to voters how a real estate tax levy, whose ballot language refers to an increase, will actually decrease the tax burden on homeowners.

“The ballot language is misleading,” observed Janet Loew, library communications and public relations director.

By law, Issue 3’s Nov. 4 ballot language must refer to a “renewal and increase” because the library would be renewing an existing 1.8-mill levy and adding 0.6 mill to it, for a total of 2.4 mills.

The 15-branch library system currently collects 2.8 mills - 1 mill from a levy that passed in 2009 and 1.8 mills from a levy that passed in 2010.

Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County officials plan to let the 1 mill levy expire.

The two levies now generate a combined total of $10,835,974 a year.

If the Nov. 4 measure passes, the total annual local levy revenue for the library system will drop to $9,315,141.

“The number one reason people should vote for the library levy is because of the community service the library provides and its inability to be replicated in that exact form by any other institution,” said Heidi Daniel, director of the library system.

Voters should support the levy because the library offers a full range of print and electronic resources, with the e-books and other electronic resources available to library cardholders, anywhere, anytime, free of charge, Daniel said.