Spokane, WA | May 5, 2026 – Spokane County Library District (SCLD) is asking voters to consider a levy measure to fund daily operations and maintenance for the 10 SCLD libraries during the August 2026 primary election. This measure requests to restore the property tax levy rate to keep library services at existing levels, increase digital materials, and maintain facilities.
 
Passage of this levy is necessary for long-term sustainable funding of the Airway Heights, Argonne, Cheney, Deer Park, Fairfield, Medical Lake, Moran Prairie, North Spokane, Otis Orchards, and Spokane Valley libraries, as well as SCLD’s mobile services.
 
Approximately 97% of SCLD’s funding comes from property taxes. The current levy rate is approximately $0.33 cents per $1000 assessed valuation (AV). SCLD’s Board of Trustees has determined that this level of funding is not enough to support the present level of services and available materials provided by SCLD, nor is it enough to meet the demand for services and materials in the future.
 
Voters will be asked to restore the property tax levy rate that funds daily operations and maintenance of the libraries to $0.45 cents per $1000 AV, which is below the statutory maximum allowed of $0.50 cents per $1,000 AV. This levy restoration would raise the levy rate by $0.12 cents per $1000 AV.
 
“While the current levy rate has fallen to its lowest amount we’ve seen in the past 25 years, we believe asking for the full statutory rate is not necessary at this time,” said Patrick Roewe, SCLD Executive Director.
 
Projections estimate that a home valued at $350,000 in Spokane County would see an annual increase of $42.00 or $3.50 per month.
 
Over 681,000 visitors came to SCLD libraries last year, checking out 2.2 million items with digital eBooks and audiobooks accounting for half of those items. More than 66,000 people attended programs, and over 9,200 people placed meeting room reservations.
 
If approved, SCLD will preserve core library service at existing levels, maintain facilities to ensure comfortable customer experiences, continue mobile library services, expand safety and security in and around the libraries, and increase the digital collection of eBooks, audio downloads, and streaming offerings. The levy requires a simple majority (over 50%) voter approval to pass.
 
If the measure fails, SCLD will pursue other revenue sources such as charging fees for meeting room use, postponing major maintenance projects, such as HVAC replacement and roofing repairs, and begin determining what programs, library hours, materials, and personnel need to be reduced, with the eventual closure of one or more libraries.
 
For more information, visit www.scld.org/levy.
 
Spokane County Library District (SCLD) provides resources, experiences, and places that empower people to learn, explore, and succeed. SCLD operates 10 libraries throughout Spokane County that include Airway Heights, Argonne, Cheney, Deer Park, Fairfield, Medical Lake, Moran Prairie, North Spokane, Otis Orchards, Spokane Valley, and the mobile library LINC. SCLD library cards are free to Spokane County residents.

For more information about our libraries or programs, please visit scld.org or call 509.893.8200.
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