Library board pulls tax levy from ballot

The district’s nine-member board of trustees made the decision at its regular meeting Tuesday.

A second telephone survey, conducted Jan. 5–9 by Opinion Research Specialists Inc. LLC, showed 49 percent of respondents either strongly or somewhat favored a tax levy increase, 47 percent either strongly or somewhat opposed an increase, and 4 percent were undecided. A similar phone survey conducted in October produced a favorable response from 57 percent of respondents.

“The overall numbers, the current economic environment and anti-tax sentiment expressed in the survey comments convinced the board to cancel its plans for the April election,” according to a library news release.

The property tax increase would have funded six library projects: major repairs to Midtown Carnegie Branch Library; relocation of branches in Fair Grove, Willard, Ash Grove and the Brentwood branch; and construction of a Republic branch.