A Strong Future for the Ketchikan Public Library

Stabilizing the Future of the Ketchikan Public Library On October 4, 2022, voters in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough who live outside of the City of Ketchikan and the City of Saxman will vote on Proposition 2. The question placed before the voters is simple: “Shall the Ketchikan Gateway Borough’s adoption of nonareawide library powers be repealed, as proposed in Resolution 2956-CI?” If a majority of those eligible vote “Yes”, the Borough’s nonareawide library powers would be repealed effective January 1, 2024, and the Borough’s financial support of the Ketchikan Public Library would cease after that date. The financial impact to the Ketchikan Public Library? A cut in funding of approximately $500,000, or nearly 40% of the library’s operating budget. The background of Proposition 2 stems from constituents who are concerned that they pay taxes to support the library without any say in how the library is managed. Recently, there was a specific library program that really caused this...