Seattle voters will decide in August whether to approve a $480 million library levy that would more than double the size of the city’s current measure.
Mayor Katie Wilson signed the proposal after it passed the Seattle City Council unanimously, sending it to the ballot for an Aug. 4 vote.
The levy would replace a $219 million measure approved in 2019 and would run for seven years if voters approve it.
City leaders say the largest portion of the funding, about $229 million, would go toward maintaining library hours and public access across the system.
Another $134 million is earmarked for building maintenance, while $38 million would be used to upgrade technology and IT infrastructure.
The proposal is expected to increase property taxes by about 19 cents per $1,000 of assessed value in its first year, bringing the total rate to roughly $3 per $1,000, according to the city.
Wilson said the funding would support key community spaces.
“By supporting the proposal, we’re strengthening the shared public spaces that bring people together and expand opportunity, creativity, and lifelong learning across our city,” Wilson said in a statement.
The measure will appear on ballots for Seattle residents in the Aug. 4 election.
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