In Jamestown Charter Township’s August 2022 primary election, a tax levy to fund the Patmos Library for 10 years failed, threatening a loss of 84% of Patmos’ funding for operations.
The measure appeared again on the November 2022 midterm ballot in hopes that, with more residents aware of the issue, it would pass.
But it failed again: 5,500 residents out of 10,000 (more or less) in the township voted on the millage proposal and of that group 55.8% voted to defund.
A year later and less than three months ago, the millage was on the November 2023 ballot, but this time it passed, with 62.8% of the vote. There were 1,588 yes votes, in contrast to 940 no votes. That’s 2,527 total votes cast, less than half of the ballots cast when everyone’s hair was on fire in 2022.
Stick a pin in that.
[Before going further, massive respect is owed to the Jamestown Charter Township opponents of book banning. Millage (and free speech) foes wound up abandoning the field, but Patmos Library’s champions never faltered.]