Area B residents will soon cast their votes on whether a library card outweighs lower taxes at an upcoming referendum.
In conjunction with the municipal election, voters will be asked if they support increasing the annual $270,000 requisition to $355,000 in order to provide $85,000 toward the Trail and District Public Library.
Those living in Casino, Genelle, Rivervale, Oasis, Patterson, Black Jack, South Belt and Sheep Creek had access to the Trail facility this year after a $20,000 interim agreement was made with the library board.
This came after the dissolution of regional recreation and much debate on the funding formula and how much the new contract should be worth.
“I wanted to give those who may have never held a library card a chance to go in, get a free card for the year and see what the library is all about so they could then go to the polls and make an educated decision,” said Area B director Linda Worley.
While the one-time funding was pulled from the area’s coffers last year, Area B’s potential library contribution of $85,000 this year is based purely on property assessment and for taxpayers that means about $49 a household per $200,000 home.
While door-to-door lobbying during the byelection indicated many people weren’t keen on ponying up the funds, Worley says she’s heard mixed reviews since and has no clue which side the ballot will fall.
“With recreation I had an idea, but with the library I truly do not have an indication from the public to which way it’s going to swing,” she said.
“ I think it’s going to come down to who goes out to the polls and actually places that vote.”