Guest Essay:

Where were you in 1994? I was a senior in high school. Forrest Gump was the number one movie at the box office, and most people were hearing about the internet for the first time.

For Grand County Library District (GCLD), 1994 was a significant year because voters created the library district and established its initial funding level at 2.41 mills.

In the three decades that followed, the library has thoughtfully expanded programs and services while responsibly stewarding taxpayer resources. It has adapted to new technologies, expanded both physical and digital collections, offered community space, and has become much more than a place simply to borrow books. 

In 30 years, voters approved one additional mill levy increase, a temporary 0.95-mill levy in 2016. That temporary mill levy is set to expire this year.

This year you will see two funding issues on the ballot from the Library District.  

Issue 6B asks voters whether to keep the temporary 0.95 mill levy approved in 2016. A yes vote on 6B will not increase taxes, while maintaining library funding at its current level.

For the average homeowner, the 0.95-mill levy equates to approximately $4 per month. The additional funding approved in 2016 has allowed GCLD to pay off building debt, expand programs, services, digital resources, and community offerings available to residents throughout Grand County.

If Issue 6B does not pass, the district estimates property tax revenue would decrease by approximately 28%, requiring the library to evaluate future service levels, capital improvements, and programming priorities.

Issue 6C addresses a state-imposed limit on annual revenue growth for local tax districts. The measure asks voters whether the library should continue to retain all revenue generated by its existing tax rate, as Grand County voters previously approved in 1996.

A yes vote on 6C would allow the library to keep all revenue generated by its existing mill levy, even in years when property values grow by more than 5.25 percent.

A no vote on 6C would limit the library’s annual revenue growth to 5.25 percent, even during years when Grand County experiences higher property value growth. In years of rapid growth, the library would not receive all the revenue generated by its existing tax rate.

Although both ballot questions relate to library funding, they serve different purposes. Issue 6B concerns the continuation of a voter-approved temporary mill levy, while Issue 6C addresses a state revenue growth limitation and whether the library may continue retaining all revenue generated by its existing tax rate.

Neither measure would create a new tax. Together, the two issues address how the library is funded and whether current revenues can continue to support library facilities, programs, and services throughout Grand County. More than 30 years after voters created the library district, Grand County voters will once again decide how it is funded.

To learn more, please visit gcld.org and click on the Ballot Info tab, or visit gcld.org/ballot.