CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — The May Primary Election is less than one month away, and a story worth watching is how voters will respond to library levies in Cuyahoga Falls and Hudson.
Mary Alexander, 79, of Cuyahoga Falls, visits local libraries nearly every single day.
"I love libraries," Alexander said. "If I bought all the books I read, I wouldn't be able to go in my house. I read constantly."
Her favorite stop is the Cuyahoga Falls Library, where there are thousands of books, and a push for Issue 5, a 2.2 mill levy to replace the current levy, which expires this year.
"We have not asked for a tax increase in 15 years," said Andy Harant, the director of the Cuyahoga Falls Library.
If passed, the levy would generate $2.4 million each year over the next five years. It would cost homeowners $77 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Harant said additional funding is needed because the cost for books, paper and staffing has soared in recent years.
The current levy makes up 43% of the library's funding. Another 51% comes from Ohio's Public Library Fund.
Harant said another financial challenge is that the library lost about $50,000 last year because of cuts made to the Ohio PLF, and he projects more reductions are likely.
"We're looking at a likely drop of $150,000 over a year-and-a-half," he said. "Libraries statewide lost $25 million."
If a levy isn't passed by the end of the year, Harant said there would be a reduction in the number of books purchased and likely cuts to library hours, staffing and programs such as children's story time and book clubs.
"People love our programs, but if we aren't able to provide our staffing, if we're not able to be open that many hours, we won't have the funding to continue to do stuff like that," Harant said.
However, for some Cuyahoga Falls residents like Steve May, supporting the levy is a tough sell.
"I would be a no vote all the way," May said. "I'm a blanket no on any tax increase of any sort."
May said he doesn't have anything against the library, but feels taxpayers shouldn't have to foot the bill.
"Because the last time you said if we raised our taxes, we would have enough to pay all these people, why would you have to cut it now?"
Harant believes voting for the levy would be money well spent.
"We make up less than 2% of our residents' overall property tax bill here in Cuyahoga Falls," Harant said. "For every dollar that we spend, we provide almost $5 in economic value worth of library services, so that return on investment, we're proud of that."
Alexander, who learned how to use the internet at the library, said she'll keep visiting and plans to support the levy.
"I'd definitely vote for it," she said. "I use it daily."
In Hudson, Issue 12 for the Hudson Library & Historical Society is requesting the renewal of a 2.9 levy plus an increase of 0.6 mills to replace the current levy, which expires this year.
The library's executive director, Leslie Polott, said the current levy provides 70% of its operating funds.
However, she said the budget is stretched thin due to the cost of materials going up, and the library's tax levy has not increased in 10 years.
"It is $78 per $100,000 of home valuation, so it's not huge. It's a little over $300 for about a $400,000 home, which is about what Hudson's average home is," Polott said.
As is the case in Cuyahoga Falls, Polott said the Hudson Library would likely have to make reductions to programming and hours of operation, as well as lay off staff if a levy isn't passed in 2026.
