Be Sure You Know What You’re Voting For….
by SCRGadmin on Apr.30, 2010, under Our City
We all understand the importance of being informed voters. It is for this reason we want to bring your attention to the upcoming library levy. The Stow- Munroe Falls Library Board has approved placing a continuous levy on the ballot.
There are two reasons the Voters should be concerned about this levy. Number one is this levy proposes to nearly double the millage tax payers are currently being charged.
The other reason to be concerned is that the Board is also asking for a continuous levy. This means that instead of the Voters being asked to renew the library levy every five years as is currently done, this new proposed levy will continue year after year until the Board decides to remove it. It will also automatically increase as your property increases in value.
We all know the traffic into the library has increased since the economic down turn. We also know the State has reduced the Library’s funding for 2010 and possibly 2011. What we don’t know is what may happen beyond that period.
Rather than strap the voters with a continuous levy that may not be necessary in two years because funding is restored, why not support a renewal of the current 5 year 1 mil levy and ask the library to make some deeper cuts and possibly close for a few days per week. We are quite sure the public could adjust to this temporary schedule until the economy improves. The library’s signs would have you believe that the facility is in danger of closing all together. Other information released by the library wants you to think that it will be reduced to a minimal part time operation at best. We believe this is scare tactics. No one wants to see the library program stopped, trashed or removed. We would like to see an effort to live within a tough budget like the rest of us.
Unfortunately the difficult days are not completely realized for the Citizens of Stow and Munroe Falls and burdening your neighbors by supporting this huge tax levy will certainly increase the economic hardship for those already struggling to get by.
Regardless of how you vote: vote informed.
7 Comments for this entry
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May 1st, 2010 on 2:46 am
I recently received a high quality door hanger on which the library’s administration is begging voters to “Keep our Doors Open”. Signs are also popping up imploring us to “Save” the library. Unfortunately, if both statements are not exaggerated, and such drastic measures need to be taken, it will probably be because the administration got greedy. Not only are they asking voters in a depressed economy to nearly double the library’s budget, they are also expecting us to make the levy amount continuous – in other words, no need to revisit this issue with the voters again (unless “new” money is sought).
We all recognize the library’s contributions to the community, but in my opinion, this was an irresponsible decision. If this appeal fails, it could pit the library against the school district’s possible levy campaign in November. Where does it all end? Hopefully, at the ballot box.
May 1st, 2010 on 11:07 am
The post above provides the reasoning why the May library levy should be defeated. It is a case of the library being too greedy and wanting to insulate itself from the economy at the expense of the taxpayers
Defeat this levy and then let the library put up a more tempered one in November; that’s the way to go.
May 3rd, 2010 on 4:33 pm
Nicely said! This is not about taking the library away. This is about the way the property owners are being asked to fund the library threw increased property taxes. Renters too have to consider their landlords raising their rent after the first of the year to cover the increase. Oh and yes, the levy is reto-active to the first of this year which means the increase will be collected starting with your bill in January 2011.
May 3rd, 2010 on 5:03 pm
As usual, Peter with his usual opinion based on cluelessness. It’s always “greed” with people like you, isn’t it?
I’m sick and tired of hearing people like you complain about “the economy” every time. If paying an extra $30.00 A YEAR for an extremely valuable asset like our library — that IS used extensively — then perhaps you should move and sell that condo you have, Peter.
This is up there with that really, REALLY ignorant “Doctor” who wrote a letter to the Stow Sentry a week ago that if people want movies, then “go to a video store.” What an idiot. He must be a doctor is stupidity.
The library will be getting my vote! There are other things on the ballot that I would prefer to be shot down: like human services levies (why should I have to pay MORE for the retired? Spare me the ‘fixed income’ horsecrap. That has no merit: we are all on a fixed income). Or why should I pay more for underprivileged children? Oh well. I know, kids are innocent blah blah blah, but spare me whoring out kids and seniors to get stuff like this passed.
If the library was just “sitting there”, then I would see why it should be defeated. But it doesn’t. It’s a valuable asset and I will jump for joy when I see it passed. Let me guess: you don’t use it.
The fact is, the state will NEVER put funding back where it used to be. Anyone w/a clue knows how this state works. Remember that “temporary” state tax early in the ’00’s? Yeah, so “temporary”, IIRC, all but a part of it was allowed to retire.
Some of you want to live in a community like Stow, then refuse to want to keep it that way. Shoot down the schools (which I understand, given the School Board), defeat the library, defeat this, defeat that. Might I suggest some of you selfish freeloaders move to East Cleveland?
May 4th, 2010 on 1:57 am
Way to go JJinstow!!! You don’t like doctors, you don’t like underprivileged kids and you don’t like senior citizens. But you love the library. And you can’t figure out what the levy will cost you. Way to go fellow Stow citizen!!! I tried East Cleveland, the politics are worse there than they are here. But it won’t be long ’till we join ‘em. I intend to vote against the levy. I see no need for a seven day a week library to operate at twice the cost. No, we are not all on a fixed income. Some of them get raises and some of them get outrageous raises. See you at the polls.
May 4th, 2010 on 1:28 pm
jjinstow….sounds to me that you are off your medicine again buddy. Do us all a favor get a life.
May 4th, 2010 on 8:44 pm
JJ is throwing another of her irrational hissy fits.
In her convoluted way of thinking, a taxpayer is a freeloader. Interesting.