Library Levy Passes In Shaker Heights During May 8 Primary

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH — Shaker Heights residents voted to approve a new levy funding the Shaker Heights Library on Tuesday. While the results have yet to be verified by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, unofficial tallies have the levy passing by a vote of 4,763 to 4,432. That would fall outside of automatic recount territory, with the levy receiving 51.80 percent of the vote.

The library asked residents to support a 1.9-mill levy during the May 8, 2018 primary. It was the library's first request for funding in nearly two decades and residents responded by granting the library's request.

The library system said that revenue from the state has declined 19 percent since 2008, while revenue from the existing property tax levy dropped 18 percent over the same time frame. Almost two-thirds of the library's funding comes from property taxes.

The levy was not without its opponents. A group calling itself the Committee for the Future of the Shaker Heights Library urged residents to vote against the levy. The thrust of their argument was that the levy being presented to voters would not ensure the long-term viability of the library. Instead, the group wanted library leaders to consider joining the Cuyahoga County system.

Results from the May 8 primary election voting on the levy are below.

Photo from Ashley Ludwig, Patch