Library tax levy reset passes with ease

By Chris Fortune

Rolling Hills Library will remove the sunset portion of its overall tax levy.

Voters approved the decision to eliminate the tax levy, allowing a reset of the library’s overall tax levy from $0.31 to $0.28 per $100 assessed valuation.

With 100% of precincts counted, the tax passed with 62% of the vote. The vote was 2,481 to 1,513, with higher than usual turnout.

Removing the sunset portion of the tax levy will help the library afford its annual bond payments with the new library it plans to build, which could open in 2026.

In March, Library Director Michelle Mears said removing the sunset would help the library plan its budget in the future.

The sunset portion was set to end in 2039, and the new library project would have moved forward regardless of the outcome of the vote on Tuesday. However, some concessions would have been made in the buildout of the new library had it not passed.

But with voter approval to reset the operating tax levy, Rolling Hills will have the funds for its operations and to continue growing into the future.