Sno-Isle Regional Library System is asking for a levy rate increase to avert potential cuts in programs and services. A guest commentary by a member of a local library board and a former director of the library that was published in the Jan. 26 Herald gives a compelling argument in favor of the tax increase. The authors cite inflation and limits on property tax increases as culprits for the strain on the library budget. They warn that patrons may suffer from reduced hours and limited services as possible result of the levy failure.
There have been recent incidences in which Sno-Isle Library System has made the choice to spend large amounts of money for questionable items. Despite arguments from library patrons, Sno-Isle installed “privacy viewing booths” for all Internet-accessible computers in the entire library system, at the cost of approximately $600 each. King County Library System has not seen fit to spend taxpayer money in such a manner, and patrons, despite the lack of privacy, heavily utilize the computers in their system.
Sno-Isle also provides free, unlimited printing for all library patrons. Sno-Isle could implement a small fee for printing, as other library systems have. Library patrons presented this idea to the board of trustees as a cost-saving measure, but they chose to continue to use taxpayer money to pay for printing. Sno-Isle has even found spare funding to build a $5,000 smoking shelter for employees at the regional headquarters.
I would question if it were truly a problem of inflation and increasing costs, or a matter of Sno-Isle making unwise choices in how to spend the taxpayers’ money. Send a message to Sno-Isle by voting against the levy. Rather than cutting hours and services, Sno-Isle should attempt to use the taxpayers’ money in a way that is responsive to patrons and beneficial to all.
Monroe
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