Open carry is now allowed at all Leon County libraries following a vote by the county commission.
At their July 14 meeting, commissioners voted unanimously on a number of policy changes affecting libraries, one of those dealing with the code of conduct.
According to agenda materials, the code of conduct has been updated to adhere to new laws from the state, specifically dealing with open carry and homelessness:
There was some debate among commissioners on how to deal with young people and library fines, potentially even making it so those under 18 needed parent or guardian permission for a library card. Ultimately, commissioners decided to maintain the status quo for 16- and 17-year-olds and library cards.
But Commissioner Brian Welch said the issue may not matter in the long run: “I think we’re in a posture where we may potentially have to discuss closing libraries, or certain fees to enter libraries, if we have property tax reform … I really feel like it’s not really a problem that’s deserving of this much debate.”
Amendment 3, the GOP-led property tax overhaul, would offer a significant tax cut but would potentially drain municipalities of money needed to fund essential services. Backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, if approved by voters in November, it will raise homestead exemptions from the current $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028.
Residential property taxes to fund public schools would remain intact, but revenue for counties and municipalities would drop sharply, local officials say. Leon County is facing a possible loss of $71 million in revenue that comes from residential property tax.
What the county would get in property tax revenue would need to be given to constitutional offices, such as the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, but after the bills are paid this could leave only $3.5 million for all other county services, according to projections. Many commissioners are concerned on what this could mean for local libraries, among other things.
Arianna Otero can be reached via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Open carry now OK at Leon County libraries
Reporting by Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat | USA TODAY Network
