An organized campaign by supporters of the Norwin Public Library failed to halt a taxpayer group's effort to repeal a portion of the 1.2-mill library tax levied and collected by the Norwin School District.

More than 100 people from North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin attended a town meeting organized by the taxpayers group in the Norwin Middle School auditorium Tuesday night.

The taxpayer group was seeking support to place a referendum on the May ballot to repeal 1 mill of the levy, which is the library's main funding source.

All of the 29 people who spoke, however, opposed a referendum. They said the library was vital to the growth and future of the community.

Most supporters expressed fear that, if the group gets a referendum and it passes, the nearly 3-year-old, $2.5 million facility could close.

Lawyer William F. Caruthers II, a member of the library board of trustees, refuted facts and issues presented by the taxpayer group.

"There's plenty of misinformation going around. We needed to correct all that, and I think the support for the library indicates we have," he said.

Lawyer Gerald O'Brien, a member of the Irwin Revitalization Committee, sees the referendum as a "threat to restoring economic stability to our town."

"Our library is an asset and an anchor for the Irwin Project. You don't want to scare away potential investors," Mr. O'Brien said. "Closing the library would be a disaster."

Nobody offered support for the group's initiative.

Despite the obvious lack of backing, the group decided to continue its efforts to place a question before voters in the Norwin School District.

"We want the taxpayers to decide if they want to pay the library tax or repeal part of it," said Mary Lou Patterson, who heads the group.

The decision shocked library board President John Duncan Jr., who felt the show of overwhelming support had proved "an essential community need" for the continued operation of the facility.

"I'm happy with such a tremendous show of support from the community," Mr. Duncan said. "But I'm not happy that, after tonight's experience, the taxpayer group decided to go ahead with the referendum. What is it they're trying to prove?"

The taxpayers group will have another meeting at the same site at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18 to make plans to circulate petitions to put the referendum on the May ballot. The number of signatures needed will be based on a percentage of the voter turnout in the Norwin area in November.