The Aurora City Council is considering placing a question on the November 2009 Municipal Election ballot. The question will request voter approval to form a General Improvement District within Aurora and to levy a property tax to provide dedicated funding for the Aurora Public Library System.

The Aurora library system is currently funded through the city's general fund along with most other city services like Police, Fire, and Streets. The majority of the general fund's revenue comes from sales tax. City sales tax revenues over the last seven years have not kept pace with the increased cost of basic city services. Therefore, library funding has decreased steadily over the past seven years as necessary cost reductions were made to balance the city budget.

The proposed property tax will provide a source of revenue dedicated solely to libraries which will not be subject to reductions to balance the city budget and will help to offset the need to make significant reductions in other city services. The Aurora Public Library System currently ranks in the lower third among Front Range library systems in hours, and last in spending on library materials. Most Front Range residents outside of Aurora and Denver are served by library districts that have dedicated property tax funding.

Aurora is facing a significant projected budget shortfall in 2010. Without this additional funding, the city will be forced to consider additional reductions in hours and the closure of some library branches. The dedicated tax will allow the City to open its libraries for an additional 154 hours across the library system, expand library space, add library materials, and renovate and replace outdated facilities. If approved by voters, this would be the first tax increase for operations in Aurora in 16 years.