Updated: Library’s levy lid lift appears to be passing

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Updated 10 a.m. May 5.

The North Olympic Library System’s request to voters to restore its tax levy rate appears to have passed in a Clallam County-wide special election.

According to the Secretary of State’s website as of May 4, the levy lid lift is passing 51.05% (12,666 votes) in favor to 49.95% (12,143 votes) opposed.

Levies must pass with 50% plus one simple majority vote.

The Clallam County Auditor’s Office’s Unofficial Cumulative Report says there’s about 41.6% turnout so far from the ballots counted.

On Monday, elections staff said less than 100 ballots came in the mail on Friday and it’s unknown how many more will come in before the election is certified at 2 p.m. May 8.

NOLS asked voters to increase its regular property tax levy from its current rate $0.28 per $1,000 of a home’s assessed valuation to $0.45 per $1,000 of assessed valuation starting in 2027.

Library staff estimate that a property owner with a $300,000 assessed property value would see their current monthly cost for the library go from $7 to $11.25, and a $400,000 property go from $9.33 to $15 a month.

NOLS’ resolution is the library system’s first request to raise its levy since 2010 when voters raised the rate to $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed value, which passed with 59.1% in favor (14,299).

In a May 1 blog post on the library’s website, Glaude wrote that it appears the levy lid lift would be approved, and he thanked voters.

“NOLS understands that asking for any increase in property taxes is a significant request, particularly at a time when so many households are feeling the pressure of higher prices on nearly everything,” he wrote.

“The thoughtful conversations we have had at community presentations, in library branches, and around our neighborhoods across the county reflect a community that cares about both its libraries and its people.”

Library staff previously said if their levy rate wasn’t increased, they’d have to look into cutting hours, staff, materials and other needs.

Glaude wrote online that the “library will be able to maintain open hours, collections, programs, and technology that more than 32,000 cardholders rely on across Clallam County.”

NOLS has four branches in Sequim, Port Angeles, Clallam Bay and Forks, and a Bookmobile that operates at various locations throughout the year.

According to NOLS’ 2025 Annual Report, of the 32,000 active cardholders, 25,000-plus attended a library event, they checked out 993,000 items and made 312,000-plus patron visits to library branches.

“We will continue to be careful stewards of taxpayer resources to provide the best library services possible, just as we have been over the 16 years since the last levy lid lift,” Glaude wrote.

If the levy lid lift passes, the library’s levy total would increase to approximately $7.8 million compared to this year’s operating budget of approximately $7.3 million, staff report.

Revenue collected over the amount needed would go into reserves for “when the levy rate inevitably begins to shrink again and inflation causes costs to increase,” NOLS staff reports.

Levy funds were not used to build the recently renovated Sequim Library, they said.

NOLS and other junior tax districts have revenues largely dependent on local property taxes with NOLS’ operating budget consisting of about 87% of property taxes, staff report.

Under state law, NOLS’ property tax revenue cannot increase by more than 1% annually, unless approved by voters.

Glaude said in an interview that the levy lid lift is the mechanism available for them to maintain services.

He said the library system already has a budgeted plan for 2026 and nothing would change immediately if the levy were to fail.

“The timing was intentional to give us six months to give us a good solid plan for 2027,” Glaude said.

At a Feb. 26 board of trustees meeting, Glaude said that administrators had discussed whether or not to go back to voters each budget season the past seven years. He said they’ve made do stretching tax dollars and donations, including use of a bequeathment of about $500,000 to cover most of NOLS’ collection budget in 2025.

NOLS staff wrote in meeting documents that inflation and other factors have driven up costs for materials, wages, insurance and utilities and despite reducing the library system’s budget from 2025 to 2026, trustees agreed to transfer about $1.5 million from reserves to balance the budget.

Glaude said in February that NOLS’ reserves won’t last much longer and that restoring the levy rate is their only sustainable option besides reductions in services and staffing.

“(Forty-five cents) is enough to cover our operating costs and allow for some of that inflation and growth to occur that’s inevitable and build our reserves up,” he said.

In an interview, he said once the election is certified they plan to post a few job listings systemwide that have been left vacant since December.

NOLS will provide another update after the election about next steps and what to expect following the levy lid lift, Glaude wrote online.

For more information about NOLS, visit nols.org/levy.