UPDATED: TYPO CORRECTED FROM $10 MILLION TO $ONE MILLION
LC PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD LOWERS TAX RATE BY .02
By Susan Salyer
The Lawrence County Public Library Special Meeting met on Friday August 15, 2025 at 10AM with all members present.
Director Deena Meade said the special meeting was set for establishing a tax rate for the public library. The tax rate has been 11.4% which brings in a little over 1 million per year, she said (in a later interview). The new board voted after what Director Meade called “…a lot of back and forth between members”.
In the end, Lynn Perry made the motion to reduce the tax rate from 11.4% to 11.2%, which would save the average tax payer around $20 dollars a year or less.
Those voting in favor of the minuscule tax lowering were Lynn Perry, Andie Wilson and Connie Fairchild. Those voting ‘no’ were Lyndsay Smith and JoJo Triplett, who both felt a larger tax break was necessary.
Director Meade said, “Expenditures for the library are nearly $1 million dollars a year, which includes a $300,000 Electric bill and $400,000 for salaries and benefits for 11 employees, and another $300,000. for operational expenses.”
She said there is very little difference in what the library costs to run and what is actually collected and turned over to them in taxes.
