Boulder Library District ballot issue passed

Proposition 6C to form a library district in Boulder and beyond passed with 53.20% of the votes cast. The district will improve library services in Boulder County and provide funding for a new library branch in Gunbarrel according to the Boulder Library Champions.

The Boulder Library is currently funded by tax revenues from the City of Boulder, which have fluctuated with the economy, but the new district will be funded by a dedicated property tax mill levy.

The Keep Our Libraries organization encouraged residents to vote against Proposition 6C as they feared the negative impact the tax would bring to renters, homeowners, and business owners. In contrast, the Boulder Library Champions successfully convinced voters to pass 6C, as they believe the library district will help children catch up in school and help marginalized communities.

Now that Proposition 6C has passed, the Boulder Public Library District taxes will be increased by a tax rate of 3.5 mills. That rate is estimated to be $23.80 annually per $100,000 of actual value for a home within the district, and about four times higher for commercial property. These taxes will go towards restoring and improving literacy programs, including partnerships with schools to reach underserved students and students who fell behind during the pandemic; additional free and safe public spaces for community meeting, workshops, and programs; updating and improving collections of books and materials, including bilingual materials and e-books, movies, and music; extending hours at all existing libraries; opening of a new branch in Gunbarrel; expanding access to stream programs, makerspaces, and free internet for young people, underserved communities, and seniors; and improved maintenance, cleanliness, safety, and security at all library facilities.

"The big next step is for the members of the city council and the members of the Board of County Commissioners, get together as a subcommittee and appoint the Board of Trustees," said Joni Teter, former Boulder Library Commission member. "Once the Board is established, then they will negotiate the Land Use Intergovernmental Agreements (IGA) with the city. Afterwards, the Board will be going through all the steps to set up the new organization through budget and financial controls, new IT systems and HR policies. So, over the course of the next year or so, those steps will be worked through and then I think towards the end of next year, we anticipate that employees will transition from the city to the library district. By then, it will be fully up and running as an independent organization."

The new library district encompasses all of the City of Boulder as well as unincorporated areas north of the city to Highway 52, but does not include what most people consider Niwot. It does, however, include the homes on the south side of Monarch Road west of 79th Street, as well as homes on the west side of 79th Street north to Monarch Road. The district boundaries extend as far north as Oxford Road and west across Highway 36 on the west side of the Diagonal Highway.