Home › Blogs › emmettoconnell's blog

Timberland levy lid lift failing tonight (Mason County's doing well though)

Tue, 02/03/2009 - 9:41pm — emmettoconnell

The levy lid lift for the Timberland Regional Library is failing in three out of five counties tonight, with Mason County and Pacific counties being the only ones approving. The levy lid lift would have needed to simply pass by 50 percent plus one across all the entire system, but votes are so far behind tonight, it doesn't look good.

Thurston County, 45 percent yes

Mason County, 55 percent yes

Lewis County, 28 percent yes

Grays Harbor, 43 percent yes

Pacific County, 51 percent yes

In addition to Mason and Pacific voting yes, voting inside the city of Shelton went very well tonight (88 percent yes!) for the vote to annex into the Timberland Library system.

Comments

Tue, 02/03/2009 - 10:17pm — Berd

Special Election

Well, it's not over until it's over!

On a separate but related topic, it's sad to think that with a very minimum of foresight, the addition of an isthmus rezone advisory vote, or a park advisory vote, could have been added to the ballot with at a minimum of cost (since the ballots were already being produced anyway.)





—

Wed, 02/04/2009 - 1:13am — Dylan Carlson

Isthmus vote would have increased turnout

Such an addition to the ballot certainly would have pumped up interest in the Olympia community, leading to higher voter turnout Voter turnout for the library levy lid lift looks to be (predictably) low.
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 10:50am — agathafrye

actually, voter turnout was high

... voter turnout was particularly high for a special election. Thurston county got almost 29% turnout for the election, which is a strong turnout. Mason county had nearly 45% turnout, which is practically unheard of in a special election. I guess the people have spoken. I know it's hard times, but I wish people could take the time to think about what benefits their community rather than what benefits themselves personally. We need that mentality more than ever in this economy.
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 1:31pm — Rob Richards

Why this failed, or, at least why I think it did.

1.) I've been hearing for months that the Yes! Library campaign turned down the help of some smart campaigners who really wanted to put some energy into it but needed some compensation. Having at least on pro on board might have tipped the scales. This is just scuttlebutt, though, and might not be entirely true, though I haven't heard it refuted yet.

2.) Most people I talked to think libraries are great, but that we should fund them through property taxes. I agree with them, but supported the levy lid lift anyway because we shouldn't punish the library today for something we can fix tomorrow. Maybe now is a good opportunity to look at the funding stream, and make it less regressive. Perhaps tying it to income as opposed to property would be a better idea. I don't agree with those who suggest libraries should be privatized, that would just be scary.

Oh, and Berd, way to make it about you!

Wed, 02/04/2009 - 4:25pm — Berd

Clarification

Rob, you wrote:
"Oh, and Berd, way to make it about you!"
I am not completely clear about what you intend to mean by this. Maybe you would clarify. Thanks.





—

Wed, 02/04/2009 - 10:34pm — Laurian

Here's something that goes against the grain

Down in Lewis county where the Library levy lost 4 to 1 not every tax increase went down in flames. From the Centrailia Chronicle

Voters within the White Pass School District have cast their ballots in favor of a maintenance and operations levy to raise approximately $965,000 a year through 2013, starting in 2010 and replacing the current tax.The measure received nearly 52 percent of the vote.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this but it should tell us something about how to pass tax increases in conservative communities in bad economic times. 

PrecinctYesNo Total 666 626 Big Bottom 166 202 Randle East 167 139 Randle West 130 91 Verndale 150 140 Packwood 53 54
Thu, 02/05/2009 - 9:40am — agathafrye

Thurston county breakdown...

As of today, analysis shows the levy passed in Olympia and Tumwater, but failed in Lacey and the surrounding areas of Thurston county. Thank you to Olympia and Tumwater residents for your support- it actually means a lot to me as a library employee to know that my town voted yes. Lacey was hoping to get a new library in the Hawks Prairie area- guess that's not happening now... Olympia (64%) Tumwater (54%) Lacey (47%) overall tri-city area (56%)