Fairview City Council will propose small, dedicated library tax

BySanpete Messenger
The Fairview Library, a relatively modern facility completed in 2015 as part of the Fairview City Hall rebuild, was in jeopardy after the Utah State Library pulled state funding. The city council is proposing a small property tax to fund it.

FAIRVIEW—A plan to secure longterm funding for the Fairview Library won the clear backing of the city council at a meeting March 24, where members voted unanimously to move forward with a small, dedicated property tax.

Councilman Michael McKay framed the choice in simple terms, saying the issue came down to “whether we have the library or not, whether we can actually afford the library.”

Council members made it clear they did not want Fairview to give up its library.

In the past, the library served as the base for the Sanpete-Juab bookmobile. As such, it was funding partly by the Utah State Library and partly by a small property tax paid by all Sanpete County property owners.

A few years ago, the Sanpete County Commission voted to end the countywide library tax. With the local funding gone, the Utah State Library discontinued the bookmobile. The Fairview facility, completed in 2015 as a component of a rebuild of the historic Fairview City Hall, was left in the cold.

In Fairview, the library is much more than a building with books. It is a safe, welcoming place where children discover reading or find a quiet spot to study, a place where jobseekers use computers and internet they may not have at home, and a place where neighbors can connect over local events and shared interests.

The library serves as one of the few truly public spaces where everyone is welcome, regardless of age or income, which is why leaders see it as central to Fairview’s identity and future.

Support for the tax came quickly once the proposed rate was explained. The tax of 0.0001 (1/10th of 1 percent of assessed value) is expected to raise about $12,000 a year for the library, with Councilmember Mike Ricks estimating that on a $500,000 home it would be roughly $50 annually.

A motion to move forward on the library tax was made, seconded and passed without opposition.

With the vote complete, the city will take the steps required under state law for a tax increase. The city will hold a TruthinTaxation public hearing, giving residents a chance to hear the details, ask questions and share their views on the tax.

At the same time, the city will complete various statutory requirements, including working with the county auditor so the new rate is properly reflected on upcoming property tax notices.