Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry has recommended the closure of four libraries in response to ongoing budgetary issues.
The libraries recommended for closure include Dewhirst-Catalina, 15631 N. Oracle Road; Dusenberry-River, 5605 E. River Road; Geasa-Marana,13370 N. Lon Adams Road; and Santa Rosa, 1075 S. Tenth Ave.
Huckelberry estimates the closures would save $1.5 million annually.
The four libraries are the county’s smallest, and least used, according to a memo Huckelberry wrote to the board of supervisors dated April 14.
The Pima County Library system, as a whole, has a more than $5 million structural deficit.
Total operating costs for the library system total more than $39.5 million in the proposed fiscal 2016 budget.
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Additional cost-saving measures include closing eight libraries on Sundays to save an estimated $171,000 annually.
Huckelberry also recommends the board adopt a six-cent increase to the library district secondary property tax.
This would bring the rate per $100 of assessed value to 50 cents.
The increased rate, coupled with the proposed closures and changed operating hours, would reduce the library system’s structural deficit to $657,436 in 2016.
