In August of this year, your Arlington City Council passed a resolution strongly supporting the passage of a bond for a new library that will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot. The unanimous vote of seven to zero reflected the importance the Council put on the need for a new, bigger, better equipped library for the Arlington area. I cannot recall the Council ever passing such a measure calling for a tax to build a new facility owned by a separate governing district.
The voters passed a measure in 2000 that annexed the Arlington area to the Sno-Isle Library District. At the same time, the voters formed a capital district which is charged with building the new library. Perhaps because the site for a new library was not specified, they turned down a bond issue to build.
Shortly after that vote city government began buying property around the existing building to reserve for library use or community use. The citizens of the city of Arlington now own a large part of a city block, which we were privileged to offer to the library district as a site for a new library. The city will own the ground the library district will own the building.
The voters of our Arlington area have a history of voting for issues in which they believe. For example, a new high school, a new middle school and a couple of new elementary schools were bonded by the voters in just the last few years. They built with their bond funds a new hospital a few decades ago. They recognized the importance of providing those facilities. It is my hope that these citizens will realize the value of a bond to construct a much needed Arlington Library. Please weigh the issue and examine what we will get for around 18 cents per thousand.
My vote, of course, will be yes.
Sally Lien,
Councilmember No. 4
Arlington