CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio — Voters in Cuyahoga County have passed Issue 70, a levy that will allow the Cuyahoga County Public Library to “continue to serve you as the nation’s top-rated public library system.”
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According to the Cuyahoga County Public Library’s official website, the 1-mill continuing levy will generate approximately $18 million annually. The library says that passing the levy will cost Cuyahoga County residents less than $3 per month, per $100,000 of home value.
Issue 70 marked the first time a Cuyahoga County Library levy had appeared on the ballot since 2008, when its current 2.5-mill continuing levy passed. The library says that it will use the funding for the following measures:
Continued operation of the CCPL’s 27 branches
•The maintaining of virtual services, which have been critical during the coronavirus pandemic.
•The preservation of evening and weekend hours for students and residents who need access to computers and a reliable Internet connection.
•Necessary safety and security updates.
•Sustaining a robust collection of materials
•Maintaining critical services, such as after-school homework help and training for job seekers.
Had the levy not passed, the Cuyahoga County Public Library said that it would have had to make budget cuts, which likely would have required it to close on some weekends and evenings. It also said it would have seen a reduction in virtual services, collection budgets (which would require a longer wait times), services and in-demand offerings, as well as facility maintenance schedules being extended or deferred indefinitely.
