As you probably know by now, Douglas County voters rejected a request by the library district for a small increase in its property tax levy at the election last month. The outcome was close, with all areas of Douglas County except Castle Rock in support of the library's request. About 200 votes separated the "no" voters from the "yes" voters.
The measure failed in Castle Rock by about 1,000 votes and lost in every Castle Rock precinct.
In a Nov. 29 e-mail message to members of the Town Council, Castle Rock town manager
Mark Stevens had this to say:
"
Absent specific polling data, obviously there are many potential interpretations of these results. Below are some thoughts.
"The Library District sought a property tax of 1.25 mills, which would equal about $32 or so a year on a $300,000 home. . . .
"Possible interpretations:
a) Castle Rock voters won't vote for any property tax increase (to the best of our knowledge, Castle Rock voters have voted against every proposed tax increase over at least the past ten years, be that proposed by the County, School District, Library or Town);
b) Castle Rock voters don't consider libraries an essential service and won't vote for a property tax increase for a non-essential service;
c) Castle Rock was not getting anything new with the tax increase, Parker, Lone Tree and Castle Pines North were, and Castle Rock voters won't approve a tax increase unless they get substantial direct value in return;
d) times are just tough and a [it was a] bad time to ask for a tax increase (although Castle Rock voters have opposed property tax increases in good times and bad); [and]
e) voters didn't understand the measure, not a good campaign (many "experts" think the library ran a "textbook" campaign).
"The County sought extensions to its sales taxes for roads and for the Justice Center. Both passed by large margins countywide. Both passed by large margins in Castle Rock, and passed in every Castle Rock precinct. Possible interpretations:
a) voters prefer sales taxes;
b) voters don't see a tax extension as a tax increase;
c) voters understood what they were getting for the tax extension."
My wife and I voted in favor of the library's request because we use the facilities in Parker and Lone Tree and believe that it's important for all people in the county to have good access to all that a library can offer. But, I'll admit it, I was very disappointed that the Library District included nothing for Castle Rock in the proposal. And I know that many other people probably felt that way, too, because I heard it from a lot of them!
So I don't think there's much doubt about why voters in Castle Rock said "no" to the library tax. From their point of view, the question was, "why should we pay more taxes to give people in other parts of the county, but not in our town, more library services?" For a lot of people, I think the answer to that question was pretty obvious.
I don't see how this issue needs much "analysis." A little common sense is all that is necessary if the Library District wants to have a better shot at getting its dough in the next election. Do something meaningful for Castle Rock and I bet most people here will support the library's request.