New library funding
The cost of the project is $28.3 million. Increases to two local taxes will help pay for the library (along with a new fire station in southwest Champaign and annual street maintenance).
On January 1, 2005, local home-rule sales tax was increased to 1.25 percent from the previous 1 percent and 2.5 percent was added to the telecommunications tax on all types of phones. In everyday terms, the sales tax change adds 25 cents to the cost of a $100 purchase; the phone tax adds about $1 a month to the cost of phone service.
Library Foundation campaign
The Champaign Public Library Foundation lead a campaign to raise $3 million in private gifts for the project. On March 31, 2007, they announced that they had successfully reached that goal.
New Library Donors
(http://champaign.org/about_us/construction_news/funding/new_library_donors)Through their generous gifts, these individuals and organizations provided for more than 10 percent of the cost of the new library project.
A History of Generosity
(http://champaign.org/about_us/construction_news/funding/history_of_generosity)The first real home of the Champaign Public Library was made possible by local philanthropists, just like the newest one.
