PALMER, Alaska (KTUU) – As voters took to the polls across the state Tuesday, Palmer residents have voiced their support for the reconstruction of the Palmer Public Library during the city’s regular election.
Proposition 1, a ballot measure appropriating up to $10 million in general obligation bonds toward capital improvements to the library, has the majority approval of Palmer voters in early unofficial election results put out by the city clerk’s office.
The fate of the library, which suffered a roof collapse back in February, has been in limbo for nearly eight months. The city’s plan has always been to reopen it eventually, but whether or not the original building will be reconstructed or rebuilt completely has yet to be decided by the Palmer City Council.
Palmer Mayor Steve Carrington said the council has been waiting on financial reports from Wolf Architecture.
“Beginning of December they’re supposed to come up with cost analysis,” Carrington said. “What’s the cost difference between trying to repair the existing building versus demolish it and build a new one — and so we haven’t gotten to that decision yet.”
Carrington said that the proposition opens up options for the city to finance the cost of construction when that time finally comes, and that it won’t necessarily draw the full amount of the bond — if any at all.
The ballot measure did state that upon voter approval the city would authorize “an annual tax increase of approximately $135.00″ per $100,000 of assessed property value, but Carrington called that outcome a “worst-case scenario” and that the city would likely pay off the debt through traditional avenues such as sales tax revenues.
“If we have trouble paying it back that’s what could happen,” Carrington said. “But it’s, you know, we’re gonna pay it back through the regular means of our budget and our income.”
If levied, however, the tax increase would only be applied to property owners within the city limits of Palmer proper.
City officials say the bond is designed to fill in gaps in funding that just aren’t known at this point, and that it intends to apply for additional streams of revenues, such as grants, to help cover overall costs.
During this year’s legislative session, Alaska state legislators did pass a capital budget that includes a $5 million allocation toward the reconstruction of the library, but Carrington anticipates the total cost to be in the neighborhood of $12-$15 million.
The library has since been operating in a limited capacity at a temporary location off Arctic Avenue.
According to the city clerk’s office, election results are expected to be certified on Oct. 10.
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