Thursday, October 1, 2026
An approximately $14 million infusion of operating revenue is at stake in the Nov. 3 General Election for Timberland Regional Library (TRL), which is turning to voters across five counties to help stabilize its financial base.
The TRL Board of Directors recently approved placing a levy lid measure on the November ballot that would increase the library system’s regular property tax levy to $0.35 per $1,000 of assessed property value from $0.22 per $1,000 in 2027. The board of directors approved placement of the November ballot measure at a meeting on July 22.
The projected total revenue without no levy lift would be $26,844,125 in 2027, compared with $40,784,249 with the lid lift, according to TRL data.
Without the additional funding, the library system anticipates significant cuts to library hours, staff and services after having gone through a similar process earlier this year. Approximately 96 percent of the library system’s operating revenue comes from property taxes.
"It's been a quarter century since we've been at a full levy rate. ... The longer we go on, the further we get from the library system that we can be because we're not fully funding it. ... We need to allow our communities to make this decision. If we don't put it on the ballot, they don't get to make that decision," said Dustin Loup, a TRL Board of Directors Trustee, who represents Grays Harbor County, in a statement on July 22.
Ballots for the Nov. 3 General Election will be mailed out to registered voters on Oct. 16. All levy lid lifts in the state require a simple majority, 50 percent plus 1), to pass. For the Timberland Regional Library measure, that means the district as a whole must pass the measure by a simple majority.
Timberland Regional Library serves Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties through 29 libraries, mobile services and online resources.
The financial woes stem from the regional library system failing to meet fiscal policy. That fiscal policy calls for the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) to have 30 percent of expected revenues in a fiscal year budget’s beginning general fund balance, something that did not happen at the start of 2026 largely because expenses exceeded revenues gleaned from property taxes. As a result, the organization was looking at a $3.5 million deficit.
The regional library disclosed the budget problems earlier this year. That led to organizational changes and operational adjustments, including voluntary and involuntary layoffs, as well as reduced operating schedules at some branches.
Former executive director Cheryl Heywood resigned in the midst of the budget crisis. Library Services Director Andrea Heisel was later appointed interim executive director by the TRL Board of Trustees. A search for a permanent executive director is ongoing.
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Honestyandrealityguy
Common sense please. They already get the annual property value increases. Now they want to almost double that? You and I have to budget.
Friday, August 14 Report this
Tanker1982
Agreed. Until they fix their financials, a qualified financial officer in charge, and leadership understanding financials, which I doubt, this is throwing good money against very bad management
Friday, August 14 Report this
JustSaying
Nope.
Friday, August 14 Report this
pharper65
For more information about what TRL is doing to correct problems within the system visit an August 6, 2026, blog
Q &A with interim TRL Director Andrea Heisel:
https://trl.org/blogs/post/q-a-with-interim-executive-director-andrea-heisel/
The blog also includes links to the Funding and Budget webpage and the new Financial Transparency Policy.
More information about the levy lift: TRL.org/levy
The TRL Patron Coalition is holding several listening sessions, for people to voice their opinions, hopes and concerns about TRL and its future. More information: www.TRLpatroncoalition.org
Friday, August 14 Report this
TreezzaK
Once again, some think the answer is more revenue. No, the answer is learning how to more efficiently use the revenue already available, just like we need to do with our household budgets. Additionally, governmental agencies need to get back to basics regarding services. For example, while the remodel in Tumwater is nice in some respects, I don't believe it was necessary. I don't enjoy the "vibe" anymore. I just want to get in and get out. If that was part of the plan--reducing patron time in the library--then it's been a success. Additionally, a whole area of the library is now dedicated to children as a playground. I don't feel that's appropriate in a library. It's also extremely annoying when patrons are now forced to endure an incredible amount of noise because of this playground. Whatever happened to being quiet in the library and spending time reading, researching, etc. Kids should be encouraged to read. Playgrounds can be found elsewhere in community parks, school grounds, etc.
Friday, August 14 Report this
HappyOlympian
Yeah, got a agree with the previous intellectual powerhouses here, $5 more a month for a publicly-owned asset that helps to invest in our future a total back breaker! NO! NO! NO! NOT ANOTHER $5! Common sense here, if i keep $5 bucks a month, that means I am a much richer person! Yeah, go Treezak, a library user too, they know what is right - not happy with a remodel, toss the whole system, that will teach 'em.
Saturday, August 15 Report this
olyhiker
I wonder how many tens of thousands of $ have been spent on 'remodeling' our libraries. I know the Lacey Library keeps getting fancier and fancier. Forget changing the employees' desks. Forget changing the machines to check out the books. Stop the waste.
Saturday, August 15 Report this
NielLawrence
If you are fortunate enough to own a half million dollar house, this measure costs your household a total of $35 per year. Without it, TRL’s budget loses ground every year on inflation, population growth, and property values. That’s the inevitable effect of levy lids. It is a small miracle that with no lid lift, TRL was able to provide such first rate service and maintain staffing for so many years. Now it’s vote to pay a few bucks per person to keep pace with costs, or condemn our libraries to decline.
Saturday, August 15 Report this
Daisylee
I don't own a home but I do rent so I have paid in many other ways. As a user of the library, as a past employee of the library system, as a child growing up with the bookmobile coming in the driveway...the library has and is still a big part of my life. It was an honor to work in the "new" library back in the 1980's. What I don't understand...except for one response...if the feeling that "the library" is just not an important place in our lives any longer. If you would not want to pay into the tax system, consider moving. I love the library system and all the wonderful people that it employs.
Saturday, August 15 Report this
KentReister
Over the last 25 years, inflation has been about 86% meanwhile the maximum levy increase of 1% per year (without going to a vote) results in about a 28% increase over the last 25 years. Not sure how these numbers shake out exactly, but I would be pretty frustrated if someone was expecting me to cut my budget that badly.
Pass the levy. Fund libraries. They aren't even asking for as much as they could have.
Sunday, August 16 Report this
OlyBlues
If TRL had years of good fiscal practices to stand on, they may have a better chance at running this levy. Unfortunately for TRL, their years of mismanagement and expenditures exceeding revenue by over $3 million dollars as of 2026 has caught up with them and they expect taxpayers to not only bail them out but reward them for this behavior. When you couple this with the fact Thurston County residents are already paying $9 MILLION more in taxes to TRL than the other counties, mostly to fund their bloated administrative costs and subsidize the small rural libraries in other counties, this is an easy NO vote. TRL is not a mandated service like police, fire, and schools who are already bleeding us dry with their levies. TRL must reign in the spending, cut admin costs, and reevaluate the funding structure that unfairly relies on Thurston County residents to be overtaxed to fund their operation.
Sunday, August 16 Report this
HappyOlympian
OlyBlues got it exactly right - that "3 million over" - an inaccurate description to be sure, but if true would equal almost $6 per person in the service area. The criminality! 6 BUCKS! 6! How can anyone allow this to continue. Sure libraries are a central element of human civilization, but we are talking about 6 bucks! War, I say! Make the librarians pay dearly for the blunder of 3 incompetent administrators - all of which have been fired. They are literally stealing a loaf of bread from me, I can't take it! No more libraries, they personify all that is evil in the world!
Sunday, August 16 Report this
HappyOlympian
I love JOLT - the message board allows anything, no censors. Just as public libraries do, not exclude content do to ignorance or ideology. 2 areas in Western Washington just voted overwhelmingly to continue proper funding of their libraries. The Timberland system has been underfunded for decades, and the previous administration should have gone to voters 15 years or more ago for a levy lift. Now is the time. The increase out of pocket would be the equivalent of a gallon of gas, once a month. Libraries the backbone of human civilization since Sumer, c2900 BC. No literate society lacked them and they still provide essential resources today.
Sunday, August 16 Report this