Tax hike will enable Palatine Library to meet public's needs

Thank you for your feedback, comments, questions and concerns over the past two years about the future of our library. We learned you love our services, materials, and programs, and that our facilities are a valuable resource and a place for the community to connect.

And, we understand you want more.

In order to accomplish more and maintain our facilities, on April 2, 2019, you will be asked to answer the question of whether or not to raise the library's taxing rate by 7.5 cents. For the owner of a home with a median home value of $266,000, the tax increase will equal approximately $4.33 per month ($52 per year).

An increase in our operating fund will provide the opportunity to address the needs of our aging Main Library building:

• Aging/leaking roof

• Failing HVAC systems

• Inefficient lighting

And, simultaneously, will provide the opportunity to offer you more:

• More new books, movies, music, downloadable content, games, and resources.

• More collaborative spaces and study rooms to accommodate students, entrepreneurs and groups.

• More service hours for your convenience.

• More collaboration and partnerships with schools, businesses, and local organizations to provide resources to our diverse community.

• More investments in new technology and bandwidth to keep up with advances in technology.

We know what a great value the Palatine library is to our residents and are determined to provide a safe, thriving environment. We are proud to serve Palatine Public Library District and to live in a community that values literacy, access to information, and lifelong learning.

For more information about the plans and costs, visit www.palatinelibrary.org/more. Please contact us anytime at board@palatinelibrary.org.

Palatine Public Library District board of trustees (Bruce Jeffers, Andrea Vanderhoek, Hal Snyder, Jeffrey Westhoff, Tracy Boland, Debby Brauer and Valerie Sherman).