Special Election Voters' Pamphlet on Library Annexation Available Online

King County Elections has published the April 17 Special Election Voter's Pamphlet online this week, which details the Proposition No. 1 measure asking Enumclaw voters whether they want to annex the city library into King County Library System.

The city of Enumclaw for 2012 has funded the city library out of a one-time fund with no funding source designated at this time for library services if this measure does not pass. Annexation into KCLS would mean the library district would take over management of the library and some argue would provide better services that the city library has been able to in the past few years due to dwindling budgets. According to advocates for annexation, KCLS was selected by Library Journal as the best system nationwide and the library staff would also have more career opportunities under the district system.

The district would also be able to keep the library open to the public up to 60 hours a week. This year, due to budget constraints, the library is currently open 35 hours a week.

Annexation, however, also means an additional 50 cents per $1,000 assessed value levy rate increase for city taxpayers -- a $125 increase for a homeowner whose home is valued at $250,000. Council this week voted to approve a resolution that states for 2013 in order to help neutralize the tax increase effect on city residents.

Those in opposition say the city has not done enough to investigate alternative funding solutions for the library and advocate keeping control -- and taxpayer money -- local. Currently, Enumclaw and the city of Seattle are the only two municipalities that are not a part of KCLS.

The city of Enumclaw appointed Richard H. Elfers, Richard E. Hughes and Barbara Braun to write statements in favor of the measure and Charles V. Sansone, JoAn McKinlay and Una Waldron to write the opposition statements.

Passage of the measure requires a simple majority. .

Here are some important dates to remember in the run-up to the April Special Election:

• Mar 18, 2012 Overseas and military ballots mailed for the April 17 Special Election
• Mar 19, 2012 Deadline for mail and online voter registrations and transfers for the April 17 Special Election
• Mar 28, 2012 Ballots mailed for the April 17 Special Election
• Mar 29, 2012 Ballot drop box locations open
• Mar 30, 2012 Accessible Voting Units and ballots available through Election Day
• Apr 09, 2012 Deadline for in-person registration for the April 17 Special Election
• Apr 16, 2012 Additional AVC locations open
• Apr 17, 2012 Special Election