Pierce County Library System announcement.
At the Pierce County Library System’s Board of Trustees’ Wednesday, Dec. 14, 3:30 p.m., meeting,the Boardwill hold its second and final public hearing for the Library System’s 2023 budget and conduct other business.
The meeting will be held in person at the Library’s Administrative Center 3005 112th St E, Tacoma WA 98446. Optional virtual attendance is available via https://www.piercecountylibrary.org/about-us/board-trustees/board-agenda-packets/Default.htm.
The Board will conduct its second of two public hearings on the 2023 budget, which the Library System projects to include $46 million in revenue, of which $44 million is budgeted for services, operations and capital investments. One of the guiding principles in the 2023 budget includes flexibility to continue to respond to revenue and cost changes from the pandemic, inflation and delays in supply chains.
Thanks to the voter-approved 2018 levy, the Library will continue setting aside a portion of the additional funding from the restored levy, so the funds are available to manage projected budget deficits in years to come, which now is projected until 2026. Next year marks the fourth year of operating under the Library’s levy sustainable plan, which resulted from the reauthorized levy. The plan created a multi-year funding cycle to provide stable funding to deliver valued library services.
The 2023 budget supports a return to in-library and community programs such as story times for children and building computer and technology skills for adults.
In addition, 2023 will be the fourth year the Library System will not charge fines on overdue books and materials. In March 2020, the Library System stopped charging fines to help reduce further economic burdens brought on by the financial crisis stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information: https://www.piercecountylibrary.org/about-us/board-trustees/board-agenda-packets/Default.htm
