Don
’t let the Morgan Hill Library close,” screamed the campaign
postcard that showed up in mailboxes this week, “Vote Yes on A and
B.”
Don’t let the Morgan Hill Library close,” screamed the campaign postcard that showed up in mailboxes this week, “Vote Yes on A and B.”
The inference is clear: Pass the twin tax measures, A and B, that will arrive in your mailbox this week or the library will shut its doors.
That’s a vast overstatement that goes far beyond usual political hyperbole.
And it’s too bad the decent people who support the library tax measures allowed political hucksters carte blanche to run the show and send out such a misleading mailer right before ballots arrive in Morgan Hill and San Martin mailboxes.
It just might backfire, and that would be a shame.
Voters aren’t stupid, particularly when it comes to fairly straightforward local tax measures. Reading one story in the local newspaper or the ballot measure makes it pretty clear. Measure A will extend the current tax and Measure B will add enough to the kitty to bring back the old library – open six days a week.
The amounts are $33 and $12, respectively, per measure for each parcel annually.
If only the mailer had said “Keep the Morgan Hill Library doors open full time.”
But it didn’t, and already the fallout from the stupidity of such a misleading mailer is hurting the campaign to fund our library fully.Supporters such as City Councilman Steve Tate have had to step back and criticize the direction.
“I don’t like giving people the impression the library will close permanently. That is not the intent of what we what we’re doing,” Tate told reporter Matt King. “I know that’s not what was meant.”
And that’s the crux of the disconnect between community advocates trying to help the library and scare-mongering political consultants who are paid to run the show.
Some people will be tempted to send the library brass a message and vote against both measures.
Don’t. The root issue is the same regardless of this poor choice of tactics.
If you support keeping the library doors open full time and the staffing at its present levels, vote yes on Measure A and Measure B.
If you’re disgusted with the politics of it, let Morgan Hill’s head librarian know next time you visit, or send her an e-mail at rm****@li*****.org
However, you should keep in mind that the library staff does not run this campaign. It isn’t their fault so don’t yell at them.
Meanwhile, the campaign committee should keep a sharper eye on things so the library campaign doesn’t shoot itself in the foot again.
Keep the library doors open full time, and keep the message honest.
Otherwise, the $1.8 million in taxpayer money used to conduct this election could turn into a very costly failure.
