The library levy election is on June 6.

Here’s key things to know.

What is the library asking voters to approve?

It’s a special election for city voters to decide if they want to amend the city charter to increase the levy for the Great Falls Public Library from the current maximum of two mills to 17 mills.

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Who gets to vote?

As it’s a change to the city charter and only a city tax, only city residents get to vote on June 6.

If the levy is approved, the library plans to pursue a county levy for the residents outside the city limits that would also include the rural libraries.

How much will that generate for the library?

If the levy was approved, the additional 15 mills would generate about $1.55 million, increasing the library’s operating budget to about $2.7 million annually.

Will the city use all of those mills annually?

Not necessarily.

If approved, the city would be able to levy up to 17 mills annually.

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But the city doesn’t have to take that whole amount and the levy amounts are determined annually during the budget process.

How is the library funded?

The library board and staff have been discussing the library funding structure and the need for a levy  since the summer of 2021.

Voters approved a two mill levy for the GFPL in 2000 and in the management agreement, the city gives an additional seven mills, plus additional funding support on top of that.

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The library is funded through a mix of city, county and state dollars, as well as support from the Great Falls Public Library Foundation, but that funding is specific to programs and collections and cannot be used for operations, staffing or capital improvements.

Under an agreement between the county commission and library board, the county has funded the library $177,000 annually, an amount that hasn’t increased since 2011.

The city also provides $350,000 from the general fund to the library currently and that funding would be discontinued if the levy passes, freeing those funds for other uses such as public safety or other city operations.

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The library also receives about $30,000 annually through the Montana State Library.

What budget challenges are the library facing this year?

Without the levy, the library is projecting a $120,000 shortfall for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

In the current budget year, without adding any staff, personnel costs increased almost $80,000 and the expected revenue increase was $21,000.

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What would the levy fund?

If passed, the levy would, according to staff:

• expand library hours to be open seven days a week
• expand Bookmobile services to six days a week providing more services to daycares, schools and seniors
• expand youth services programs including early literacy outreach, school age programming, and college and life preparedness for teens
• provide more lifelong learning opportunities including expanded collections, electronic resources and adult and senior programing
• restart and expand outreach services including the homebound program
• enhance technology resources including providing Internet access and digital resources.

What happens if the library levy doesn’t pass?

In that case, Library Director Susie McIntyre has said they’d have to cut staff, hours and services.

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She said the library would probably go down to being open five days a week and below the minimum of 50 operating hours per week required by the Montana State Library standards and would result in a loss of $30,000 of state funding.

Does the library host drag queen story hours?

No. The library has not hosted a drag queen story hour in the building. During COVID, the library shared a video story hour made by the Mister Sisters that has since been made private so it’s not viewable by the public.

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Who pays for the levy election?

The library fund, which as explained above, is funded by a number of sources, including taxes, as well as additional funds from the city, county and state.

McIntyre said that a former elections staffer estimated the cost of the election to be $48,000 but as of June 1, she had not received an updated cost estimate from Sandra Merchant.

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Where does the private money go for the groups supporting and opposing the levy?

Yes for Libraries has raised about $119,350.65 and spent about $114,760.44, much of which was spent with CN4 Partners in Seattle. However, most of those funds passed through CN4 Partners and returned to Great Falls business through television ad buys, mailers and other promotional materials, according to Molly Beck of Yes for Libraries.

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The opposition, Liberty and Values MT, has raised about $6,264.98 and spent about $2,559.90, mostly on two billboards in town.

The finance reports for both committees are publicly available on the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices website.

Where do I take my ballot?

Return ballots to Exhibition Hall in Montana Expo Park on June 6.