New downtown branch would add just $5 to tax tab

Next week, city council will decide whether to allow the Saskatoon Public Library to borrow $87.5 million to build a new downtown location.

The library’s leadership wants to make sure residents understand how the cost will affect them.

Library director Carol Cooley and board chair Lisa Erickson met with The Starphoenix on Wednesday to dispel some of the misconceptions about the proposed $154-million project.

Cooley and Erickson noted it will only cost the owners of a home with an assessed value of $371,000 about $5 more in each of the next seven years to pay for the project, despite the high price tag.

“Overwhelmingly, folks are surprised that it can only cost a household $5 a year from 2020 to 2026 to get a brand new library,” Erickson said.

Cooley noted that the library levy has been increased for about 10 years in anticipation of the need for a new building to replace the 53-year-old Frances Morrison Central Library.

Residents may not have noticed the increases because the library’s portion only represents six per cent of the total property tax bill, they pointed out.

For 2020, the proposed increase amounts to 2.57 per cent, but that’s not the same as a similar increase for the city’s portion of the property tax. The city’s proposed property tax increase of 3.23 per cent in 2020 would mean an increase of $60.95 for a house with an assessed value of $371,000.

“Unpacking this is so important because it’s complicated,” Erickson said.

They also noted that the cost of the proposed 149,000-square-foot facility includes a $24-million contingency. If the project proceeds as planned, that contingency will not be spent.

Erickson and Cooley said they also expect donations to exceed the $15-million goal and have budgeted conservatively for the amount they expect to get for the sale of the current building.

Coun. Troy Davies has signalled that he intends to trigger a vote next week asking for the library board to resubmit their plan with a “significantly less expensive and smaller facility.”

Erickson and Cooley responded that they have heard that council members, including Davies, understand the need for a new central library. The pair said they will wait to see what council decides before responding further.

Davies also expressed concern that he has yet to see a proposed design for the building. Erickson explained the library board wants to consult residents about the design.

“I completely understand why people are craving a design,” she said. “I am, too.”

In 2018, the downtown library had 490,880 visits and loaned out 562,382 items.