Coupeville Library measures appear to be passing

Two ballot measures to remodel and expand the Coupeville Library appear to be passing, but the one that would provide the money is still up in the air.

Proposition 1, which requires a simple majority, asked voters in the Coupeville School District to form a special taxing district called a library capital facility area. The district would span the Library's service area, and taxes raised there would pay for the expansion and remodel.

The measure was comfortably ahead by a more than 63-percent margin Wednesday afternoon, 1,794 yes to 1,033 no.

Proposition 2, the $2.3 million bond that would pay for the project, needs a 60-percent majority to pass. Wednesday, it was clinging to 60.26-percent of the vote: 1,692 yes to 1,116 no.

"We're cautiously optimistic," Leslie Franzen, branch manager of the library, said Wednesday afternoon. ""It's too close to call at this point."

She said the county auditor told her the vote won't be validated until Sept. 3.

"I'm excited," Franzen said. "I'll hang on for another 10 days if I need to."

The current plan is to increase the size of the library from 2,600 square feet to 5,400 square feet, add a library programming room, put in space for more computers and double the amount of public seating. It would also bring the current 20-year-old library into compliance with building codes.

The measure would add 7 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to property tax bills, or $21 per year on a house valued at $300,000.

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