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Council to review library-funding ordinance
5/23/2012 9:43:02 AM

The Liberty Lake City Council reviewed proposed amendments to an ordinance establishing the library's funding on May 15, and if the update is passed, the department may see additional funds added to its 2012 budget.

In recent years, the library has consistently watched proposed funds passed in and out of its bottom-line budget - a situation Interim City Administrator Mike Cecka referred to as being a "political football."

"That's not a healthy place for the library to be in," Cecka said. "This will give them a consistent, stable idea of what to expect for their budget."

According to Cecka, the ordinance amendments would address a number of goals, one being a conceptual connection between library funding and the property tax, based on the original 50 cents per $1,000 rate.

According to the ordinance, the initial appropriation amounted to 23.8 percent of the city's total property tax levy rate. Therefore, 23.8 percent is the proposed ratio for future budgets. Of that amount, 3 percent would cover capital expenses and another 3 percent would cover administrative overhead costs.

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"Some may look at this as library getting a raise," Council Member Shane Brickner said. "In the most simplistic way I can put it, they're not asking for a raise. They've had a pay cut, and they're asking to get back to where they were."

Brickner spoke on behalf of the city's finance committee, urging the Council to approve the ordinance at the June 5 meeting.

Along with the finance committee recommendation to implement the ordinance for future budgeting, was a suggestion to make a 2012 budget amendment to include a pro-rated amount for the current year. The city staff echoed this sentiment with a similar recommendation. 

Mayor Pro Tem Odin Langford said the finance committee agreed with the fundamental process of reaching the dollar amounts, but had reservations with existing language which he hoped to have cleared up by the June 5 meeting.

"I know I have been perceived, and probably rightly, as hard on the library," Council Member Susan Schuler said in her final meeting before resigning. "I'm glad you've taken this step, and I wish I could be around to vote in support of it. This is a good move for the Council. It kind of gets us out of the weeds. Hopefully this will help us get back to being partners with the library."

Had the policy been in place during planning for the current budget, the library budget would have increased by $54,736, according to a memo from Cecka to the Council. If the Council decides to pro-rate those funds for 2012, the library looks to gain as much as $31,929.

According to the ordinance, in periods of financial stress, defined as a projected 5-percent decline in operating revenue, the budgeting index would be temporarily set aside, and Council would reserve the ability to assign budget cuts to all departments, including the library. As well, during periods of financial windfall, defined as property tax growth in excess of 5 percent, the Council would reserve the ability to allocate such revenues wherever most beneficial, and not necessarily to the library.

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