Salem Library on the Brink: Advocates Push for Property Tax Hike to Keep Doors Open

On a cloudy April Sunday, the Salem Public Library was the backdrop for a rally that could have been mistaken for a modern-day protest against some unspeakable tyranny if the signs weren't so librarian-centric. "Biblioteca es un esencial servicio" read one, as if the Spanish language had the power to shame the city into reason. Another, more colloquial, warned against letting "this birdbrain…bork the library," which, in any other context, would have been funny. Yet, here, it was dead serious.

In a town that loves its libraries almost as much as it loves to debate budgets, Salem’s Fund Our Libraries Now group is on a mission to save their precious sanctuary from the chopping block. With the city council eyeing a $15 million budget hole, the situation's grimmer than a tax audit. So, what’s the fix? A property tax increase, naturally, the idea being that if everyone gives just a little more, the library doors can stay open, and West Salem won’t lose its branch.

Library hours have already been slashed, and if the council doesn’t act, the West Salem branch is slated for closure. City Manager Keith Stahley has been sharpening his ax, and only a hefty infusion of cash can dull the blade. For Jim Scheppke, former state librarian and local hero in this narrative, it's about more than just books. "It’s a community center," he says. "Where else is there?" It’s the kind of rhetorical question that makes you squirm in your seat because the answer is nowhere, and everyone knows it.

The city's revenue task force has floated eight potential solutions, ranging from a 'livability levy' that would fund libraries, parks, and more, to a public safety levy. But as of now, the council hasn’t committed to anything. They’re waffling, unsure whether voters would pay extra to keep the library afloat.

Meanwhile, Ward 5 Councilor Jose Gonzalez is caught between a rock and a hard place. While he admits that libraries are important, he’s getting more calls about safety than story time. "Nobody’s asking for a library," he shrugs. Yet, hundreds of community members, armed with pens and signatures, beg to differ.

The stakes? The Salem Public Library’s future, currently hinging on a potential levy vote next May. Scheppke is holding his breath, and so are we. Without that levy, the main library's hours will stay limited, West Salem’s branch could vanish, and we’ll all be left wondering where our tax dollars went, with nothing but a blank space on our calendars where “Visit the Library” used to be.

Is it dramatic? Sure. But in a town where libraries rank 112th out of 136 in state funding, you have to be. If Salem wants to avoid becoming a cultural wasteland, now might be the time to crack open the piggy bank. After all, what’s $7 a month for the chance to keep the lights on?

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