2) What does a library district mean for the City of Litchfield?

The creation of a library district pulls the library’s tax levy out of the city’s overall levy. The library district levies for its own funding and will no longer be a part of the city’s budget or levy after the 2008 (payable 2009) levy.

The Library will continue to receive Personal Property Replacement Tax income from the city’s distribution. However, Montgomery County real estate taxes will come directly to the library, instead of to the city to be transferred into library accounts.

The creation of a library district has no impact on anyone who is not currently paying taxes to the City of Litchfield. This includes anyone who lives outside the city limits, like those at Roberson addition, Arrowhead, Solar Circle, Westlake, and other lake properties, as well as those farmers who own property outside the city limits of Litchfield.

For those inside city limits, taxes will reflect the library district becoming its own line item (much like the school district, park district, college district are their own lines on your tax bill). Whatever percentage that was formerly levied under the city’s levy for library purposes will be instead distributed to the library district.

4) Will my real estate taxes go up?

The Library can operate on the amount of tax income it currently receives. There is no plan by the Library Board of Trustees to ask for an increase in tax revenue for library purposes upon the creation of a library district.

The library district will levy for its own taxes, allowing the city’s levy to be reduced by that same amount. Think of it as a pizza: if the library gets 11% of a pizza, and suddenly they order their own pizza, the city can order a pizza that is smaller by 11%. Alternately, the city can choose to order the same size pizza and give that 11% to one of its other branches. Should that be the case, it is the decision of the city to fail to reduce their levy, not the library’s for remaining the same.

5) I live outside Litchfield city limits. Will I still have to pay for a library card?

Yes, anyone who currently resides outside the city limits of Litchfield will also live outside the service area of the Library. However, the Library can annex areas into its service area, without those areas being part of the city limits. This can be done by referendum (putting the issue on a ballot to be voted on by involved parties) or by petition (where the parties wishing to be part of the library district approach the Library, by their choice, to become part of the service area).