Library Revs Up Campaign for Tax Levy

The signs are suddenly ubiquitous in Cuyahoga Falls, urging support for Issue 16 to fund operations for the Cuyahoga Falls Library. The current library funding levy expires at the end of this year. The library says state support has been reduced in recent years and is likely to be further reduced, putting more pressure on libraries to fund their operations locally. 

Issue 16 is on the May 3 ballot and voters in the Cuyahoga Falls City School District, including Silver Lake Village, may vote on the issue. The levy is for a total of 1.9 mills, or $1.12 per week on a house with an appraised value of $100,000  ($58.24 a year). The library says state support for the Cuyahoga Falls Library has fallen 49 percent since 2001.

This levy would replace the 1.3-mill levy that expires in December. The new levy would cost $18.20 more per year for the owner of a $100,000 home. Currently, the library operates on a $2.43 million annual budget.

The levy funds operations, allowing for staffing and purchase of books, movies and other materials for circulation. The recent renovations at the library are funded separately. 

The Cuyahoga Falls library is independent of the Akron-Summit County Public Library system, funded separately from that system. Woodridge School District residents contribute tax dollars to the Akron-Summit County library, not the Falls library. Residents are welcome to use either or both library systems: Any Ohio resident is eligible to use any Ohio public library.

Library Director Kevin Rosswurm likes having an independent library. “I think the advantage is all of our board members live in Cuyahoga Falls or Silver Lake, which is our service area, and they’re responsible to the very local community for providing that service.”

“In some respects I think there probably is” a fiscal advantage, Rosswurm said. “The same autonomy allows us to allot that money in ways that the board sees fit, as opposed to spending more money in some areas and less in others. I think overall we’re able to provide a more economical service based on that.”

The library’s levy website said, “During the past 10 years the number of items borrowed has risen 92 percent and the number of visitors has grown more than 50 percent. Public computers are in constant use by job-seekers, students, and many others. Last year 385,000 visitors borrowed more than 985,000 items, making 2010 the busiest year in the library’s 98 year history.”

The Cuyahoga Falls levy is for 1.9 mills, compared to Akron-Summit County’s 2.1 mills; Stow-Munroe Falls and Twinsburg residents pay 2.0 mills to support their libraries. Hudson is seeking a 2.3-mill levy this spring.

Rosswurm believes the levy has broad support in the community and a good chance of passing on May 3.

“I certainly hope they’re good,” Rosswurm said. “We’re optimistic at this point; the campaign seems to going pretty well, the response we’re getting from the community I think is pretty good as well.”

Republican and Democratic City Council President Diana Colavecchio are co-chairs of the campaign for Issue 16. “I think we’re getting a lot of support, and we’ll find out on Election Day,” Rosswurm said.

The library director thinks the price tag is not going to scare away a lot of voters.

“I think it’s quite reasonable. The average resident of Cuyahoga Falls or Silver Lake will be able to get full library service for about $58 a year. It’s quite reasonable, I think. We provide very good use of taxpayer dollars.”

Rosswurm said state funding for libraries has steadily dropped since 2001.

“We’re anticipating deeper cuts in the future,” he said. “We’re certainly going to lose some money and I think most people believe that will continue to drop.”

 The 100-year-old library was incorporated in 1911.