The Athens County library system is asking voters to support a levy increase to cover rising expenses

By: Rosie Wong
Posted on: Tuesday, October 29, 2024

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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — A proposed ballot levy would raise taxes to help the Athens County library system maintain its services in the face of higher operating costs. 

Voters in the county are being asked to pass a five-year levy that would increase the tax rate from 1.2 mills to 1.5 mills. If the levy passes, that is $1.50 for each $1,000 in taxable value each year within the next five years. 

Taxable value is 35 percent of market value. So, a home worth $200,000 has $70,000 taxable value. The tax on this home is $65.38 a year under the existing library levy and would be $105 under the proposed levy, an increase of $39.62. Homeowners may receive certain tax credits that could reduce this amount. 

Nick Tepe, director of Athens County Public Libraries, said the increase is necessary so the system can maintain operations at the current level in its seven branch locations. 

“In order to keep doing what we’re doing, we have to pass this levy. This is essential for us to continue to offer all of the amazing things that we offer to the community,” he said. 

Tepe said the county auditor estimated the levy would generate a little more than $2 million each year for the next five years. The money would go toward staff salaries, book purchases, mobile and digital services and community events.

Tepe said the reason for the increase is twofold: inflation leading to higher costs and limited funding from the state. For decades, most libraries in Ohio received all of their funding directly from the state. But after the financial crisis in 2008, state funding for libraries was cut 30%. This led to branch closures, layoffs and reductions in hours and services. Libraries put levies on the ballot to make up for the lost funding from the state. 

Thomas Miklovitch is a regular at the Athens library branch. He goes there every two weeks to see the new works by his favorite authors. 

“I finished my other books, and I needed some new books,” he said last week, holding two books in his hand ready for checkout.  

“It takes money to do anything, and I always vote for the libraries,” Miklovitch said. 

Tepe said over the past year, the library circulated about 450,000 items and had 200,000 user visits. There were 20,000 users of the computers inside the library branches and almost 200,000 connections to the library’s Wi-Fi service. 

“I think that the libraries in Athens County are the heart of our communities,” he said. “If you go into any of our libraries on any given day of the week, any time of day, you will see everybody in the community coming in and using the library. And they’re using the library to get access to the resources that they need to be successful in their lives.” 

Tepe added that the dollars taxpayers spend on the library return to the community. In Athens County, he said, $3.27 comes back into the local economy for each $1 of tax that is paid into the library. 

Homeowners who want to know what their new tax would be under the levy can go to the Athens County Auditor’s website, athenscountyauditor.org, and enter their address. 

The last day to vote is November 5.