BOX ELDER — The Box Elder City Council has recommended against paying into a tax levy that helps fund the Rapid City Public Library, a decision that will require Box Elder residents to pay a $130 annual fee to access library services beginning June 1.
Pennington County notified the Rapid City Public Library in late 2025 that Box Elder had not contributed to the library tax levy, though residents were still using library services at no cost. Currently, 933 Box Elder residents have registered library cards.
On March 17, the Rapid City Public Library Board sent a letter to the city presenting two options: pay $121,900 into the tax pool to cover the remainder of the year and allow continued free access for residents, or decline payment, resulting in residents paying an annual fee.
Curry said he was not asking for action from the Council, but a recommendation on how to move forward. The request was first reviewed in the city’s Legal and Finance Committee on April 7 before being discussed by the full council on May 19.
Curry noted the City previously opted out of the tax levy due to an agreement with the Douglas School District that provided library access, but funding was discontinued in 2020. He said a proposed renewed agreement with the district is no longer an option following recent discussions.
Since opting out of the levy, the city has not contributed to the library’s operational costs. Council member Larson said the lack of contribution was an oversight on Pennington County’s part.
During discussion, the council questioned how active current cardholders are when it comes to using the library services, as well as the potential increase in cost in 2027 if the City agreed to pay the current lump sum. Additionally, Curry informed the Council funds from the tax levy are distributed across four public libraries in Pennington County and are not solely used to fund the Rapid City Public Library.
Council members also argued that library access is not limited in Box Elder, noting residents can use personal devices for many services and have access to school and Ellsworth Air Force Base libraries. The City Council said residents who may not have access to the school or EAFB libraries and want full access to one can obtain a library card by paying the annual fee.
Councilman Michael Knight cited the number of active cardholders compared to the city’s population of about 16,000 creates a disadvantage for tax payers.
“We’re asking roughly 15,000 people to pay for the library that around 900 are using,” Knight said. “I have a hard time with that. It’s harder to get by and $120,000 a year adds up quickly. A high percentage of residents get nothing back.”
Larson asked what the cost would appear as on the tax bill. Curry said he did not immediately know but expected it would reflect the amount the RCPL requested for 2026.
