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New library levy appears likely
TweetBy Peter H. MILLIKEN
milliken@vindy.com
AUSTINTOWN
Mahoning County’s voters likely will see a new library levy on the November 2010 ballot, and, if it doesn’t pass, they can expect further library-service cuts next year, the library director says.
Carlton Sears, Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County director, made that observation after a Tuesday meeting of the library’s board of trustees.
Sears said, however, he had not yet calculated how much new millage would be needed and how much that levy would have to generate in new annual revenue to maintain the existing level of library service.
The new money is needed to compensate for the decline in state funding for the library system since 2001, he said. The library system expects to receive $6,569,533 in state funds this year, compared with the $8,001,133 it got last year.
The library’s general-fund appropriations stand at $11,944,800 this year, compared with $12,135,400 last year. The general fund is its main operating fund and includes both state and local funds.
Most recently, the loss of state money forced the layoff of 26 library employees between July and September 2009 — the first layoffs in the local system’s 130-year history. The board also imposed in September a 15-percent cut in library hours across its branches. The 16-branch system has 170 employees.
To begin planning for levy campaign fund-raising activities, the board approved transferring $6,000 from the library foundation, which is the repository for private donations to the library, to the library levy campaign fund.
The voters clearly value their library system, Sears told the board. As evidence for that, he noted the library’s 1-mill, five-year property-tax-renewal levy passed last November with a 71.4 percent favorable vote. At 100 percent collections, that levy generates $3,622,000 annually.
Some 68 percent of Mahoning County voters scientifically polled last spring said they’d vote for a new library levy, Sears added.
However, he warned the board: “Despite those results, you can’t take anything for granted.”
Judge Mary DeGenaro of the 7th District Court of Appeals, a library board member, predicted that the library levy campaign would have to incur substantial costs to avoid having its message “drowned out” on this year’s November ballot, which will feature a multitude of state and federal candidate races.
George Farris, chief executive officer of Farris Marketing, the library’s advertising agency, agreed with the judge’s observation about the crowded ballot, but he said the library enjoys greater popularity than most politicians, and it benefits from an ongoing dialogue with library patrons.
The judge suggested having speakers from the library system discuss library services before church and community groups would be a cost-effective way of communicating the library system’s message.
Board member Clarence Smith suggested pro-levy postcards sent by library patrons to their friends and neighbors also would be an effective campaign strategy.
Comments
How about cuts to salaries FIRST then consider a levy.
The library has to cut services to reflect the economy, period. We have created a "library complex" system that is an outdated system. We now have the internet to look up info., buy books online , read books online; Wake up taxpayers, enough is enough.
Staff salaries were cut last year, including the director. And the Internet is no substitute for every service and resource you can find at the library. Libraries boost the economy. For example, the library participates in an annual tax prep program brings dollars into our valley in increased refunds. Over $1 million last year, I believe.
Forlibraries...your statement that the libraries are responsible for bringing millions into the valley is ridiculous. People will file their taxes with or without library assistance if they have a refund coming.
I know it's offensive to those who feed at the tax trough but HOW ABOUT CUTTING COSTS? Our pockets are not an endless supply of money. When our family doesn't have enough money we make do with what we have, now there is a novel idea. The state cut your funds and everyone else's. This is part of the change you voted for. How's it working
The above comments show a detachment from reality. Anyone who's actually involved with the library system knows how little they have to cut.
I agree that the internet offers the public access to much of what is also offered by the library. Many people do not have internet access and even when they do the library complements their internet use by offering the actual hard copy of the data they seek. I can not go to amazon.com and ask to borrow a book, read it, then send it back next week. I can borrow movies and music at the library also. If I can't afford a computer at home the library has one for me to use. Libraries help to create a level playing field for all people.
We can refuse to fund the library and we would be closing the door on the American Dream to many.
many of you cost-cutters may not know that the library offers to the public valuable online resources in the form of various databases which are only available through their membership and which we can all freely access at the library or by remote access. all you need is a library card with an ID no. let's not be so hasty about cutting services which i personally want and need.
"let's not be so hasty about cutting services which i personally want and need. "
Well if YOU want them then I guess everyone should fund YOU.
Is the director still making over $100k? Were there real cuts in salaries, or just cuts in the rate of increase?
c'mon, people. The library tax is minimal and it's a good return on the dollar. They don't appear to be overstaffed and probably can only be cut minimally. The closer the tax generator is to home, the better return. The internet is only partly helpful; you sometimes still need to get hard resource material.
I hate to say it but the library tax levy will fail. Enough is enough.
I simply adore libraries for the services they provide for me, our community and society as a whole. Support your libraries. If you don't use them, start. There's more happening there than you know. It's a wonderful place full of helpful people and there are many many people who depend on the library and it's employees for things that some of you may take for granted, such as internet access. Not everyone's got computers in their homes.
For those of you who do have computers and are thinking that perhaps using the links listed above to obtain technical manuals or books of any sort, make sure, before you download, that these books are public domain (older than 75 years, for most things) otherwise, downloading them is illegal, and you face fines, or censures by your ISP if you're caught in the act. Right or wrong, downloading books is illegal, unless you download with approval from the publishing entity responsible for the book's content. Torrent responsibly, folks.
Pay a User Membership if it is That useful. You can get what you need on the Internet. Library's are Obsolete. My question is, Why in theee HECK are they Union? If not are you afraid you will be Forced to carry 2 books at a time? GET REAL!
i just checked my latest real estate tax bill and the portion charged for the library was a whopping 1.62%. i really don't think anyone is going to be deprived by the few dollars we pay for these wonderful libraries. so all you crusty old curmudgeons should just turn over a new leaf and take a bigger interest in learning. you might even learn something that would enable you to earn enough to pay your library tax and a meal at mcdonald's.
Libraries are the foundation for an educated public. Without them, our already uneducated public will devolve further into idiots, like many of those on these boards, who think they know things they know absolutely nothing about.
The library is an outdated mode of delivering reading material. Very inefficient. Vote no, close them all down after they just built all new buildings with all the cash they seemed to waste a few years ago. All of a sudden, they're broke. Save a tree, buy an electronic reader.
It is not outdated. It is there for public service. Not everyone can buy an electronic reader, HaydenThomas.