Save Our Library Levy Kick-Off- 200 to Support Issue 23
It’s official!!! The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library kicked off its levy campaign at 11 a.m. today with a rally attended by some 200 staffers and supporters at Fifth Third Field, 406 Washington St. in downtown Toledo. The system received its issue number yesterday, which will be ISSUE 23 on the ballot this November.
Community volunteer Margarita De Leon, a consultant for The Kaleidoscope Group, enthusiastically served as the levy rally's Mistress of Ceremonies, joined by Library Director Clyde Scoles.
During the rally, Scoles emphasized the importance of passage of ISSUE 23, the 2.9 mill operating levy the Library will place on the November 6 ballot.
“This operating levy represents nearly 50 percent of our operating budget and must pass in November in order for our entire system to sustain what we’ve all come to expect and cherish and enjoy . . . we have been good stewards in the past and you can count on us to use these critical funds to the best of our ability and in the interest of every Lucas County resident,” he said.
The Library’s 2.9 mill operating levy will replace an existing 2 mill levy that expires at the end of this year. The .9 increase (9/10s of a mill) will replace what users lost due to budget cuts of the past and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home less than 8 cents per day.
Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken spoke at today’s rally and urged the audience to spread the word about ISSUE 23. He was joined by speakers Dennis Johnson, Library Board President, and Levy Chairperson, and also Levy Honorary Chairs John and Jeanie Hayward. John Hayward holds emeritus status on the board of the Library Legacy Foundation.
During the rally, Library donors, including the Friends of the Library (FOL), Library Legacy Foundation (LLF), the Association of Library Employees (APLE), and Communication Workers of America (CWA), pledged a joint check of $245,500 for the ISSUE 23 levy campaign.
Nearly 50 percent of the Library’s funding is at stake on November 6.
For additional information visit toledolibrary.org, or call 419.259.5200
Press Release Contact Name: Rhonda Sewell
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Organization Name: Toledo-Lucas County Public Library
Organization Address: Toledo, OH