Marion residents could face a new tax if a push by the Marion Public Library for adding staff and expanding the facility is successful.
If approved as presented, residents would pay a tax levy of 27 cents, an increase of 23 cents from a 4 cent levy that has been on the books since 1989.
First, library officials must get 1,200 residents to sign a petition asking for it to be put on the ballot. They'd need to have the signatures, official ballot language approved by City Council, and a request into the county auditor by Sept. 20 in order to get it on the ballot this fall.
Officials cite rapid population growth - roughly 1,000 people a year - along with high circulation as reasons to add staff for in house operations and outreach as well as a expansion and renovations of the facility in Uptown Marion.
A forum later this month will allow the community to offer input on improvements.
“We’ve started to organize the petition drive,” Library Director Doug Raber said in a news release. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
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