Officials to Pitch Fee for Libraries : Assessments: Proposal seeks to charge property owners an additional yearly charge for operations.

Los Angeles County Public Library officials will hold an open meeting here Monday to answer questions and drum up support for a new fee aimed at aiding the county’s cash-strapped local libraries.

The county runs 87 libraries, including Lancaster’s, among the busiest in the system. But the state’s budget crisis has led lawmakers in Sacramento to divert funds in recent years that formerly went to local libraries.

Stephen Klein, assistant administrator for the county libraries, said this has led to layoffs and a dramatic cut in library hours. The Lancaster branch, which used to be open seven days away for 64 hours, now operates four days a week for 28 hours, he said.

“There are lines at the reference desk, there are lines to check out books,” Klein said. “People still need this information.”

To restore some of these services, county officials want to set up a Mellos-Roos community facilities district. All property owners in the district would pay an additional yearly fee for library operations.

County library officials have scheduled nine community meetings to discuss this proposal. The Lancaster meeting begins at 7 p.m. Monday in the Stanley Kleiner Activity Center at Lancaster City Park, 43011 10th St. West.

Another meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 15 at Santa Clarita City Hall, 23920 W. Valencia Blvd., Suite 105. The county operates three libraries in Santa Clarita, although one is closed because of earthquake damage.

Palmdale residents would not be subject to the proposed assessment because Palmdale operates its own city library.

Under the county plan, the owner of a single-family home would pay $28.50 per year for library services. Mobile home owners would pay $14.25. Other fees would apply to owners of apartment buildings, commercial structures and vacant lots.

Klein said he does not believe the proposed library fee is excessive. “We’re talking about less than $2.50 a month,” he said. “I wonder what people pay for cable TV.”

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has scheduled an Aug. 30 public hearing on the proposal. But the supervisors can only impose the new fee in unincorporated communities.

In Lancaster, Santa Clarita and other cities served by county libraries, the city councils must approve the assessments.

Klein said the money collected in each city would only be used for the libraries that serve that city. Cities that do not adopt the fee would continue to face reduced library services, he said.

Lancaster Councilwoman Deborah Shelton said she plans to attend Monday’s meeting to hear residents’ reaction to the fee plan. She also wants to hear how the county will guarantee that this money will only be used for libraries.

“Libraries are very important,” she said. “But people are really sick of being manipulated by government to give money that they think will go to a particular cause--and then it doesn’t.”

Some city officials are also hesitant to impose a tax on residents to help pay for a county service.

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For example, some Lancaster leaders have said they would rather put the issue on the ballot for the Nov. 8 election. The Lancaster City Council has scheduled a special meeting for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday to decide that question. City Manager Jim Gilley said the special meeting is needed because the county registrar-recorder’s deadline to place measures on the November ballot is Aug. 12.

County library officials warned that if cities wait until November, it will be too late to collect the fees on this year’s property tax bills. Even if voters approve the measure, the money would not be available until the fiscal year that begins next July 1, they said.

But Gilley said Tuesday’s vote would only preserve an option for the Lancaster council. At its regular Aug. 15 meeting, the council will consider several alternatives.

One alternative would be to impose the library fee for one year, then let voters decide in November whether to continue collecting it.