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Voters back library measure Photo by Jim Craven Library supporters cheer Alison Rilling, who headed the campaign for Jackson County Friends of the Library, after hearing early reports of the victory for the county library levy. The $38.9 million levy would pay to build a new headquarters library and to improve 13 branch libraries. "We have been trying to do this for 50 years," Rilling said. "It's about time." Many ballots come in on last day, assuring levy's passage By DANI DODGE A last-minute flurry of ballots nudged Jackson County returns past the crucial 50 percent turnout mark Tuesday -- and cinched victory for library supporters. The $38.9 million bond measure to expand the county library system was approved handily, with a margin of more than 6,500 votes at last count. But it wouldn't have mattered if the 50 percent turnout wasn't achieved. "We have been trying to do this for 50 years," said Alison Rilling, chairwoman of the Jackson County Friends of the Library. "It's about time." In other local elections, Butte Falls voters approved a new city charter 67 percent to 33 percent, while a building bond in the Three Rivers School District was headed toward defeat, with 56 percent voting no to 44 percent yes. And things didn't look so good even for the library early Tuesday. While most people were getting their coffee Tuesday morning, only 44 percent of the ballots had been returned. That percentage jumped to 51.4 percent by the time the ballot boxes closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday. And with 88 percent of the vote tallied, the library bond -- Measure 15-6 -- was winning by 25,692 to 19,105. The measure allows the county to build a new main library and upgrade 13 others. Rogue Community College will lease space in the new main library. "We are excited about being able to provide good libraries because it means a lot for people in this county," said county Library Director Ronnie Budge. "What happens next is we start planning library buildings. The plan is to design and construct four branches every two years." The new main branch should be completed in the fall of 2003. Budge said the public would be involved every step of the way. Although voters passed four library operating levies since 1984, the last time a bond passed to expand the headquarters library was 1950. Then, voters approved a $102,000 bond to expand the library from 7,000 to 15,000 square feet. Since then, building bonds have been rejected in 1977, 1981 and 1982. And the county libraries have gotten more and more squeezed. Throughout the campaign, library supporters were confident that they had support of the majority, but they weren't so sure they would get the 50 percent turnout required for passage of a money measure in a primary election. But Tuesday, a steady stream of voters drove past libraries and the county courthouse handing in their ballots. At the courthouse, County Administrator Sue Slack and others raced out to cars that slowed and then grabbed ballots from outstretched arms. Many voters told elections workers they had taken time out of their day because they wanted to see the library measure pass. A thousand library campaign volunteers added to the late outpouring by making calls throughout the past week to encourage people to vote. Jenith Chapman drove up to the county courthouse after she got off work from Harry and David Tuesday night. "My kids are first-time voters," she explained. "And we left it up to the last moment so we could study the measures." Chapman said she filled in the measures, but left the candidates blank. "I don't feel a real compelling reason to lean about the local candidates," she explained. "And it doesn't matter at the federal level (because the presidential primary outcome has already been decided). "The library measure was what I voted for." Fritz Ameen stood in line at the county clerk's office Tuesday night. He and his wife had accidently signed each other's envelopes. The Gold Hill man said he felt it was his duty to get down to the clerk's office when officials notified him about the problem with his ballot."There's some very important issues and we've got that very ridiculous double-jeopardy law that lets nonplayers decide what will happen," he said. Passage of the library bond means property owners will pay about 31 cents per thousand of assessed property value. In other words, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay about $31.50 more in property taxes annually. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA