The Stutsman County/city of Jamestown’s library tax levy is almost $500,000 higher than the Stark County/city of Dickinson library levy and over $800,000 higher than the Williams County/city of Williston library tax levy. As co-chairs of the James River Valley Library board, the Jamestown city administrator and the Stutsman County auditor approved this budget. For the last four years, the city administrator and the county auditor were advised on numerous occasions that the library tax levy seemed to be excessive. Yet, at the urging of the Stutsman County auditor, the County Commission unanimously approved a $200,000 increase in the library levy this past year. The excessive tax levy for the library is just one example of why Stutsman County and Jamestown residents pay some of the highest property taxes in the state.