City raises library tax to 8 mills
Marion City Commission, after a bit of discussion Monday, decided to raise the tax levy that supports Marion City Library to eight mills.
The commission had budget authority to raise the levy for the library from its current 4.554 mills. But Mayor Eloise Mueller said that "just because it's there" (the provision for raising the levy) did not mean the city had to raise it all the way to eight mills.
City administrator David Mayfield said the increase would provide about $30,000 more per year to operate the library. Under current conditions, Mayfield said, the library was being subsidized from the city's general fund.
The library has one full-time employee, director Janet Marler, and two part-time workers who each work 35 hours a week for $5.50 an hour.
That wage in itself is sad, Marler said. "They work darned hard over there," she said.
Mayor Mueller wondered if library expenses might not be cut some. For instance by not having the facility open so many hours. Marler said no, the public would be angry. They want the library to be open even more than it is.
The library, formerly in the west part of the city building, was then open just 35 hours a week. Since it moved into the historic former railroad depot on South Third Street, hours have been increased to 48 per week. Sunday is the only day it's not open at all.
The library has eight computers, and there is no charge for using them, Marler said.
Susan Cooper, director of economic development for the city, said the new library is something of a tourist attraction for Marion.
Marler said there is a donation box at the library, and some people create memorials to their deceased loved ones for the library. Special programs and speakers cost the library only about $300 a year, she said.
Marler said, "This is not the time to get something nice and then go backward with it."
Commissioner Larry McLain said, "It's not reasonable to think, with triple the amount of space that we had before, that we could operate (the library) at the same cost."
The library is "definitely a plus for the community," he added. "It's an attraction. They may not come here just to see it, but
Mueller said, "I don't want to go backward, either. I just feel it's my duty to question raising the mill levy."
Commissioner Jim Crofoot and Mayfield both said the levy has not been raised in several years.
Finally, all three commissioners voted in favor of raising the levy to eight mills for the library.
Before the vote, Mayfield pointed out that the library faces many operating costs it did not have before, when in the City Building. These include about $3,200 per year for insurance premiums and nearly $7,600 in utilities, plus an expanded payroll.
