SGN Endorsements Vote “Yes” on City of Seattle Proposition 1 (Library Levy Renewal)

About the role

The Seattle Public Library is asking voters to choose "Yes" on City of Seattle Proposition 1, a $480 million levy renewal to maintain and improve library services.

Funding allocation

• $218.4 million for open hours and access (to keep the lights on, and programs running)
• $58.5 million for collections and materials (so people can have access to new books, and old ones can continue to be digitized)
• $85.9 million for building maintenance and capital projects (specifically, one historic branch needs to be retrofitted for earthquakes)
• $38.2 million for technology and online services (to keep the online side of things functional)
• $9 million for administration (our library staff needs to get paid)

Cost to residents

$193 a year for the median Seattle household.

Position statement

Despite some arguments against the measure, the proposed levy is an overall straightforward matter in terms of what the city intends to use the money for, and how it will benefit residents. Although SPL admins have made a few questionable choices in the past (allowing anti-Trans hate groups to use the Central Library for their event, for example), on the whole the library system is just too vital of a resource not to fund in this current climate. At a time when misinformation about and bans on LGBTQIA+ materials are accelerating across the country, the Seattle Public Library has served as a bastion of information, gathering, and archiving — and not just for Seattle residents.

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