As former trustees for Timberland Regional Library (TRL), we urge voters to approve TRL’s levy lid lift measure that is on this fall’s ballot.
The Timberland district covers five counties — Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston — with a combined population of about 550,000. There are 29 library branches within the TRL district, which stretches from Belfair to Ilwaco and from Westport to Packwood.
Libraries benefit many people in communities, whether they enter a library building or check out books and other materials online.
In 2025, more than 4.1 million items were checked out from TRL collections across our five-county district. This is amazing access to books, media materials and other items that individual rural community members otherwise might not be able to access. That includes access to WiFi, public computers and printers.
The Timberland system provided 13,492 library programs to local residents, children and families throughout the district in 2025. All of these many programs provide opportunities for people of all ages to learn more and connect with other community members.
If voters approve this lid lift, Timberland will be able to provide more open, staffed hours and days at all 29 branches, as well as increase collections.
During our years as TRL trustees, we served counties that are predominantly rural. We are concerned that many rural residents in far-flung areas will no longer have access to library materials and services that they enjoy now if voters don’t pass Timberland’s levy lid lift. We also are concerned that if this proposal is rejected, several TRL branches will no longer be staffed, meaning patrons will have to enter empty library buildings that don’t have library staff on hand to answer questions or provide help in other ways.
We know people are concerned about inflation and high fuel prices. We know people aren’t thrilled about higher property taxes. We pay property taxes and buy gas, too. But the truth is, this proposal is too important to Timberland and its many rural library branches. If the levy lid lift fails, Timberland’s current trustees and administration will be forced to make staff reductions and other cuts beyond what occurred early this year.
It’s important to point out that voters in two similar library districts in Washington (Sno-Isle Libraries, which serves Snohomish and Island counties, and the Spokane County Library District) recognized their value and importance. Despite less-than-perfect economic conditions, these voters approved their library districts’ levy lid lift proposals this August. We hope voters living in Timberland’s district will likewise support our library system by passing this levy lid lift.
Timberland has not had a full levy rate since 2001 — 25 years ago. Over time, this rate has declined even as property values and rising costs have increased. This has made it continually harder for TRL’s revenues to keep up with ever-rising costs. Sooner or later, something had to give. That time has come.
The library levy provides 96% of TRL’s budget, with the timber tax, donations and local Friends of the Library groups providing the rest.
State law limits annual property-tax revenue growth to 1%, without a vote of the people. As a result, TRL’s levy rate has decreased from the legal maximum of 50 cents to the current rate of 22 cents. TRL’s proposed levy lid lift would increase the rate from 22 cents to 35 cents, an increase of 13 cents for every $1,000 of assessed property value. The owner of a $400,000 home would pay $52 more annually in property tax if the measure passes.
Like many others, we were concerned about the direction TRL had taken in the past year. But we are pleased with the changes with Timberland’s administration and the reforms that have been made. We hope these changes, along with a new executive director who will be hired soon, will result in our tax dollars being spent more wisely and efficiently.
We ask voters to support our library district and the many rural communities it serves by passing this important and needed library lid lift. Please vote in favor of it and make sure to turn in your ballot well before election day on Nov. 3.
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Edna Fund and Brian Zylstra served as Lewis County members of the Timberland Regional Library Board of Trustees. Bob Hall served as a Pacific County trustee for TRL. Corby Varness was a Grays Harbor County trustee for Timberland.
