Here
’s what we wrote one year ago, when the Santa Clara Library
system asked voters to approve a $42 parcel tax to replace a $33.66
parcel tax that’s ending in June: “The library parcel tax is
sensible, not suffocating … Having a library that’s open enough
hours, that has a wide-ranging book c
ollection and a staff that is professional and caring is clearly
in the community’s best interest. And county librarians aren’t
pulling down six-figure salaries and benefits that make private
sector employees wince.”
Here’s what we wrote one year ago, when the Santa Clara Library system asked voters to approve a $42 parcel tax to replace a $33.66 parcel tax that’s ending in June:
“The library parcel tax is sensible, not suffocating … Having a library that’s open enough hours, that has a wide-ranging book collection and a staff that is professional and caring is clearly in the community’s best interest. And county librarians aren’t pulling down six-figure salaries and benefits that make private sector employees wince.”
Sadly, the Santa Clara County Library system just missed reaching the difficult two-thirds approval level necessary to pass the parcel tax, and stiff library cuts that were described in that editorial, including, “… a 21 percent cut in hours; 35,000 fewer books … purchased each year; award-winning services … trimmed,” became a difficult reality.
Now, the library is coming to voters again, this time with two measures on a mail-in-only ballot that will arrive in registered voters’ mailboxes in early April.
Measure A seeks to continue the $33.66 parcel tax at the same level for another 10 years with no cost of living (COLA) increase allowed. Measure B asks for approval of an additional $12 parcel tax – also for 10 years – that would reverse the cuts that last year’s failure caused. That’s $1 a month.
However, for Measures A and B to pass, two-thirds of voters must vote yes on both measures.
Passage of Measure A alone does not ensure that current service levels will continue, because inflation is increasing, and passage of Measure A alone does not cover any increases in costs the library will be forced to bear.
Clearly, passage of Measure A is not enough. We urge South Valley residents to vote yes on both Measures A and B.
The reasons are the same as one year ago, recapped here:
The library system is very efficiently run on a meager $26 million annual budget; the Santa Clara County Library is consistently rated one of the top libraries of its size in the country; library services help the community by providing literacy services, access to technology and children’s reading programs; demand for those services has increased dramatically in the last decade because of population growth, school budget cuts and the increasing role the Internet is playing in our lives.
Perhaps most importantly, all taxes levied within a city are returned to that city’s library to pay for books, materials, hours and services. Morgan Hill’s taxpayers will pay only for the Morgan Hill Library.
The reasons are the same, but the need is more urgent. We know the devastation last year’s failure to replace the parcel tax caused to libraries and patrons – the library is now closed from Saturday at 6pm until 1pm Tuesday – entirely too long for a community that cares about education.
Now, with the end of the parcel tax just around the corner, another failure means even more drastic cuts, layoffs, and even fewer resources to borrow during even more limited library hours. And possibly even fewer hours.
Keep in mind that public libraries were established for the same purpose a public school system was – to ensure the democratic principle that, if all “men” are created equal and have the opportunity of improving their lives – unlike the rigid old-world class system – they should have an equal chance to get ahead through education.
An educated public is critically important to making democracy work.
We are blessed with a well-run, fiscally responsible library system. Let’s restore the hours and services it offers our community to previous levels. Let’s help the many community members who rely on the library. Let’s show our support for an agency that educates, informs, connects, entertains and assists our community and does it so efficiently.
The mail-only ballot concerns the nine county libraries, including Morgan Hill and Gilroy. It will not pay for any San Jose library; San Jose voters recently passed their own, leaving county voters a goal to catch up with.
Ballots must reach the Registrar of Voters office by 5pm May 3. Vote yes on both Measure A and Measure B.
Ballot supporters have organized a gala evening Sunday, March 6, 5-7pm at the Guglielmo Winery, 1480 E. Main Ave. with wine tasting, winery tours and lots of lovely food. Join the crew. Tickets, $35 from Marby Lee, 779-2824, Carol O’Hare, 782-9029, at BookSmart, 17415 Monterey Road and at the Times, 30 E. 3rd St.
Details: www.santaclaracountylib.org/
