This November, Washoe County residents will have an opportunity to ensure the future of Washoe County Libraries.
Voters will decide whether to extend a county allocation dedicated to acquiring, constructing,
improving, maintaining, and operating the Washoe County Library System. On June 18, the Board of County Commissioners approved the “Renew Washoe Libraries Resolution,” which authorized a question regarding extending the allocation to appear on this year’s General Election ballot. This is a continuation of an existing tax override. It did not and does not raise or lower taxes. It tells Washoe County to give a percentage of taxes already collected directly to the Washoe County Library.
This tax override was first created in 1994. Library Director Martha Gould had the vision to enhance the Washoe County Library System by developing a tax override supporting Library improvements. This initiative directed the county to give the library system two cents from every $100 in assessed property value in the county. With these funds, the library system planted the seeds of growth for the next 30 years.
The fund helped build Northwest Reno Library, South Valleys Library, Incline Village Library, and Spanish Springs Library. It enabled Washoe libraries to weather the Great Recession and other economic downturns. More recently, it funded renovations at North Valleys, Downtown Reno, Northwest Reno, Sparks, and Sierra View Libraries.
Now, 30 years later, this allocation is set to expire. If Washoe County had not passed the initiative in 1994, many of the beautiful, beloved libraries in our community, including the South Valleys, Northwest Reno, and Spanish Springs Libraries, would not exist. A renewal of the allocation will ensure that these libraries continue to thrive.
The allocation is not a new tax, but a renewal of a 30-year tax override. It allocates two cents for every $100 of assessed property value to go directly to our libraries. This is not an additional tax on Washoe County citizens. The goal is to maintain the award-winning, outstanding library service residents have come to enjoy.
If the library expansion fund initiative passes, the Washoe County Library System will continue to improve our libraries, with renovations planned for the South Valleys and Spanish Springs libraries and the construction of a new North Valleys Library. We will also further expand services through bookmobile and book vending machine services in the North Valleys, Spanish Springs, and South Valleys regions.
If the renewal initiative fails, librarians will be laid off, book and technology service budgets will be drastically diminished, and libraries will lose weekend and evening hours. This is a critical time for our libraries.
About Washout County Libraries
Washoe County Libraries have served the public for 120 years. A renewal of the allocation ensures our friendly librarians continue to serve our county by providing critical services like early literacy development, workforce development, technological assistance for seniors, and books, movies, and music. We hope to continue to serve everyone for years to come. Washoe County voters will have the choice this November to determine our community’s future.
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