Library Revenues

The largest source of revenue, by far, is local property taxes. The owner of each piece of real property in the library district is subject to property tax. A property owner in Ada County can examine the property tax statement received each year and determine how much of the total property tax bill is allocated to a library district. Various entities receive revenue for their operations via property tax, including school districts, county governments, sewer districts, law enforcement agencies, and well as library districts.

Our library district also receives a small sum from state sales taxes, interest, grants, fees, and donations. However, it’s safe to say that the library is primarily funded by property taxes paid by property owners within the district boundaries.

We believe the property tax-paying library patron is an “owner” of the library, just like a stockholder of a corporation is a part-owner of the corporation via his stock ownership. He is entitled to vote for management of the corporation—the Board of Directors, and he has the right to offer opinions on the operations of the corporation. Likewise, the tax-paying patron of the library has the right to elect the management of the library—the Board of Trustees, and to offer opinions about the operations of the library.