S.L. holds off on library tax hike

The Salt Lake City Council had some tough questions for Library Systems director Nancy Tessman on Thursday but put off a decision on a $1.7 million library tax increase until she can meet further with Mayor Rocky Anderson's administration.

Deputy Mayor Rocky Fluhart told the council he plans to meet with Tessman to see if any creative budget options are available to stave off a tax hike.

Tessman told the council that without a tax increase she will have to lay off about 10 to 15 employees, about 10 percent of her staff, and cut library hours.

At the city's five branches, hours would likely be cut by two hours each weekday and the City Library downtown would also see hours decrease by about 12 hours a week, Tessman said.

Some on the council were concerned that city businesses would pay the brunt of the $1.7 million tax increase. City staffers figure businesses would pay 61 percent of the increase, with residential property owners paying only 39 percent.

The owner of a $175,000 home would pay roughly $12.75 yearly to fund the tax hike, while the owner of a $2 million business would pay $265 yearly.

With the city already struggling to encourage economic development, taxing businesses doesn't seem like a good idea, council members said.

Other council members wondered why Salt Lake City's library system costs so much more than systems in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Weber Counties.

For instance, the Salt Lake City systems spend $65.23 per capita to run its system, where Salt Lake County, Davis County, Weber County and Provo systems spend between $16.13 and $32.61 per capita to run their libraries.

Tessman said the cost difference comes because the City Library is the state's primary reference library and thus serves a different purpose and mission than suburban systems, which are designed more to provide best-sellers and popular books to the public.

Fluhart said he would meet with Tessman to discuss budget options and report back to the council next week.

Meanwhile, Councilman Dale Lambert commended the library for taking up the issue of Internet pornography filters.

Wednesday, the Library Board adopted new policies regarding Internet usage.

The policies state that the library intends to provide Internet filters in the children's section of the library, which will block pornographic or obscene images.

Depending on the budget, the board agreed on the investigation of a smart-card system, which allows for filtered or unfiltered access determined by the card-holder.

It is unclear whether those polices would comply with state and federal laws that cut funding to libraries that don't filter their computers.

---

E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com