The ballot question that would have extended a property tax set-aside funding local libraries appears to have been voted down on Tuesday. Washoe County Question 1, which extended the Libraries Tax Override approved by voters in 1994, now ends in June 2025. Final vote counts have not been released, but as of Thursday morning, the ballot question was behind by more than 10,000 votes. County officials Wednesday afternoon said they have about 46,000 more ballots to count.
The property tax allocated two cents for every $100 of assessed property value and was a major funding source for local libraries.
“It built the South Valleys, Spanish Springs, Northwest Reno and Incline Village libraries,” Libraries Director Jeff Scott told This Is Reno. “It helped us weather the recession and more recently helped us improve our public library facilities. This funding was also essential in keeping weekend and evening hours at our branches.”
Should the ballot measure officially fail, property owners will still be taxed at the same rate, but the funds that had been allocated specifically to libraries will now go to the county’s general fund. The library’s $17 million annual budget will be reduced by about a third to approximately $12 million.
Scott did not specify what would be cut, but residents will see service reductions. In July, Scott said that if WC1 did not pass, libraries would face a multitude of cuts, including layoffs, the elimination of the book and technology budgets and the loss of weekend and evening hours.
“I regret that our libraries will, most likely, be forced to reduce hours and librarians,” said Library Board Chair Ann Silver. “Reading and access to books are fundamental to literacy skills, learning and exposure to different points of view. Our children will be the most impacted by the retaliatory nature of the WC1 results.”
Far-right critics of libraries advocated for the elimination of the tax, claiming WC1 was a tax increase, not an extension of the existing tax.
Scott said the library budget includes 23 staff members, $1.4 million in books—the county’s entire book budget—and $200,000 in technology services.
“This loss will result in a reduction of public services,” he added. “Over the next few months, I will be putting together proposals on service reductions with my library team and library board. When the [tax] expires on June 30, 2025, those cuts will be enacted. More information will be released as we work through this tough budget.”
Scott thanked library supporters for their advocacy in maintaining the property tax.
“It is my hope that we can continue … great service albeit in a very reduced capacity,” he said.
