Residents of the Sugar Grove Public Library District soundly turned down a request for an increase in the library's operating budget for the eighth time, despite the fact that the new library is under construction.

The unofficial vote count was 4,851 to 2,662 as 62 percent of voters nixed the proposal.

The library had requested an increase of 11 cents per $100 of equalized assessed valuation, to bring the rate to 20 cents. The rate is now limited under the property tax cap at about 9 cents.

The rate increase would have resulted in a tax increase of about $85 the first year on a $250,000 home.

Voters approved construction of the new $8 million, 25,500-square-foot facility in 2004.