EDITOR: Lots of things in California are in desperate need of
fixing. One thing that is not is our Santa Clara County Library
system, and voters deserve credit for that.
EDITOR:
Lots of things in California are in desperate need of fixing. One thing that is not is our Santa Clara County Library system, and voters deserve credit for that.
In 1994 a small property tax assessment was passed to partially fund the operating of our county libraries, but it will sunset, or end, after 2005. Now it is time to extend the assessment so the libraries can continue to operate at their current level.
Measure B, on the March 2 ballot, increases the existing property tax from $33.66 to $42 annually – that’s only $8.34 a year more. If Measure B does not pass, the existing tax sunsets and the libraries will lose 21 percent of their operations budget. And residents will save a mere $42.
In the recession of the early 1990s, library funding was drastically reduced with a corresponding reduction in service. The Morgan Hill Library was open 34 hours a week, compared to the current 54, and there was one children’s story hour instead of the current three.
Library staff, books and other materials purchases, and other programs were reduced or eliminated. Without Measure B, we will be in a similar situation with greatly reduced hours, fewer new books and the services Morgan Hill has come to rely on.
Library use has increased 80 percent in the past decade. Our library system has worked hard to become continually more cost-efficient. Since staff is the most expensive budget item, our libraries have added electronic check-out, Internet renewal, and self pick-up on reserved materials.
Providing excellence service with cost efficiency has made our Santa Clara County Library system the No. 1 nationally ranked system for its size for the past three years. We are getting great value for our tax dollar. Please continue to support our library, and vote Yes on Measure B.
Jeanne Gregg,
Library Commission chair,
Morgan Hill
