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Eugene Library Levy Not A Slam Dunk

Rachael McDonald

Eugene voters have just one issue to decide in the November 3rd Special Election. It's a levy to expand hours and services at the public library and its branches. It seems like a slam dunk, but critics have raised questions.

The most vocal critic of the levy is former City Councilor Bonnie Bettman McCornack. She spoke at a recent Eugene City Club debate.  

McCornack: "I sure don't like the idea of being the city's honorary persona-non-grata. But as a voter and a tax-payer, I sure dislike being manipulated."

McCornack says the city is shifting the cost of city services like the library to working people and giving tax breaks to wealthy businesses. She points to the Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemption which she says has deprived the city of millions of dollars.

McCornack: "I urge you to vote no on this levy because it enables the city to give away public money for private profits and then force average working taxpayers to pick up the tab."

Others, including activist Emily Semple, say the city shouldn’t be asking voters for library funding when so many people are homeless.

Semple: "It's not okay to be paying more for an even better library when we have people in the middle of the sidewalk sleeping and urinating. So that's not where I want my money to go."
 
Reporter: "But the library does benefit people who are homeless."

Semple: "It absolutely does. It benefits everybody. But a library is not a shelter. It's a place for communication, knowledge and learning. And you're not asking me to pay for a shelter. You're asking me to pay for a library."

Eugene reduced hours at its main and branch libraries years ago because of budget shortfalls. Measure 20-235 is a property tax levy that would raise 2.7 million dollars to restore hours and expand services at the downtown, Bethel and Sheldon libraries. Here's State Representative Val Hoyle speaking in support of the levy at the City Club.

Hoyle: "Three dollars a month for an investment in a community resource that we all use, that we all benefit from. When we have a work force, when we have children that have access to this kind of technology and this kind of learning it means that all children have opportunity. Not just the ones in families that can afford it."
 
Other supportersof the levy include Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, city councilors, and county commissioners.

It's yet to be seen whether love of the library will outweigh criticism of the measure. And, it's tough to get voter turnout in a special election. As of Wednesday, only 21 percent of ballots had been returned to Lane County Elections. The deadline to turn in ballots is Tuesday, November 3rd at 8 p.m.
 

Rachael McDonald is KLCC’s host for All Things Considered on weekday afternoons. She also is the editor of the KLCC Extra, the daily digital newspaper. Rachael has a BA in English from the University of Oregon. She started out in public radio as a newsroom volunteer at KLCC in 2000.
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