Sno-Isle Regional Library System, which operates four libraries on Whidbey Island, has a tough job ahead of it trying to sell voters on a tax increase in the present economic climate.

The Oak Harbor School District faced the same situation, and managed to barely pass a four-year operations and maintenance levy. Throughout the two counties, schools have had trouble passing levies. It’s easy to see that the task for the popular library system will be just a difficult.

To Sno-Isle’s advantage, voters know by now that the 1 percent limitation on annual property tax increases eventually catches up with every taxing district. North Whidbey Fire and Rescue, for example, is making painful cuts due to that limitation and its inability to win voter approval for a tax increase. To be successful in the present climate, taxing districts need to go into an election with widespread public support and work as hard and openly and possible to give the public the information needed to pass judgement on the tax proposal.

Sno-Isle is looking at a $2.5 million budget shortfall in 2010 if it wants to keep operations proceeding as they are now. There is useful information on the Web at www.sno-isle.org about the choices, and it asks voters what they would cut. Among the many options are cutting equipment purchases, reducing the amount of books and other materials ordered, and closing all libraries district-wide for one week. The list does not include some obvious other choices, such as freezing salaries or making employees pay more of their health care costs, so perhaps some additions are needed.

Sno-Isle’s governing board would no doubt like voters to restore the 50 cents per thousand of assessed value maximum allowable for library levies. But that would mean a 62 percent tax increase from the present 31 cents per thousand, and it’s unlikely that will have a lot of support in such a bad economy.

We all want a healthy library system that meets the growing needs of a growing population. Exactly how much that should cost is open to debate. Sno-Isle has scheduled a public meeting on the issue Thursday, May 21, at 7 p.m. at the Oak Harbor Library. Voters should show up, ask questions and provide their input.