Countywide library service

[dkurtz]

It is a shame to see DeKalb County's library leaders give up so easily on the idea of countywide library service.

They may have been naive to think that they would win so easily in their campaign to get county commissioners to approve library service for 11 rural townships. Adding them to the library district would have increased taxes in those townships. Even though we were 17 months away from the next election, the first tax bills would have come in 2008, just before the primary election.

It will require more effort, but the libraries should look at a strategy of winning their campaign in one or two individual townships to build momentum. A township such as Jackson might be a good place to start. It has plenty of new residents, who may be accustomed to free library service in their former homes. It also has a higher ratio of residential homes to farms, which would result in sharing the tax burden more fairly.

Supporters of libraries also should ask legislators to give the state a new option for funding libraries through income taxes — or some tax other than the property tax. In Indiana, this is not a good time to be proposing anything that would increase property taxes, no matter how worthy the project might be.

– Dave Kurtz

[frankeweller]

Given up? not on your life. We have taken some time to regroup. What was made clear by the DeKalb County commissioners is the voice of library leaders isn't what they want to hear. What will convince commissioners, I believe, is the loud and repeated voice ofs people living in unserved areas. In late 2007, we intend to take another run at it, but this time with more direct input from citizens to the commissioners.

As for working through individual townships, dkurtz is right in suggesting that Jackson Township is the likeliest place to begin. Not so where I live in Wilmington Township. Presented with a scientific poll several years ago that showed a majority of residents in Wilmington wanted library service, one advisory board members said, "I don't care if the majority wants it or not, I'm still against it."

That sort of recalcitrance can only be dealt with at the ballot box. Given the advisory board's refusal to acceed to their constituent's wishes, and the Wilmington Township Trustee's embarrassing behavior at the December 18th meeting, I suspect the next election will see a major house cleaning in our township. After that, who knows . . .

[hangyourhat]

I live in Fairfield township. No library for my kids either. I did buy memberships elsewhere, but due to distance they won't get renewed. The kids seem to get what they want/need online. We'll be going with online books and programs. Even though I have several kids, I would not support raising taxes for being able to use a library many miles away.

[justwondering]

What makes everyone think the tax payer should pay for their library service?
If you use the library then pay a user fee. I do not use it, so I should not have to pay for it.

[evilkumquat]

What makes everyone think the tax payer should pay for their library service?
If you use the library then pay a user fee. I do not use it, so I should not have to pay for it.

So you've never had a fire so why pay for the fire department?

I don't mind my tax dollars going toward socially beneficial purposes like schools, libraries, etc., because there is a definite benefit to society.

[troublesome one]

I don't mind my tax dollars going toward socially beneficial purposes like schools, libraries, etc., because there is a definite benefit to society.

I'm with you, EK, on the schools, libraries, etc. Where you get into trouble is what you define as having a "benefit to society". One man's benefit is another man's government luxury, pork, (pick your own description here).

Liberals may argue that spending on defense and intelligence agencies not only has no redeeming social benefit but is, in fact, immoral and counter to the principles of a civil society. I would maintain that this is essential to the preservation of our society since it can detect and thwart threats against us.

[evilkumquat]

I'm with you, EK, on the schools, libraries, etc. Where you get into trouble is what you define as having a "benefit to society". One man's benefit is another man's government luxury, pork, (pick your own description here).

Liberals may argue that spending on defense and intelligence agencies not only has no redeeming social benefit but is, in fact, immoral and counter to the principles of a civil society. I would maintain that this is essential to the preservation of our society since it can detect and thwart threats against us.

I certainly don't mind tax dollars going to pay for defense.

What I object to is the INORDINATE amount of tax money going toward defense, especially when you consider how little we really get for the money spent.

Just look at all the faulty work done by Haliburton and other contractors in Iraq, where bad wiring has caused electrocution deaths in soldiers.

You don't see that sort of thing going on over here with civilian contractors.

As a liberal, I find it hard to wrap my head around the fact that money is ALWAYS found for military matters (wars, defense contractors, etc.) yet schools, healthcare, etc. ALWAYS get the cut whenever it becomes time to tighten our collective belts.

[armyda]

I certainly don't mind tax dollars going to pay for defense.

What I object to is the INORDINATE amount of tax money going toward defense, especially when you consider how little we really get for the money spent.

Just look at all the faulty work done by Haliburton and other contractors in Iraq, where bad wiring has caused electrocution deaths in soldiers.

You don't see that sort of thing going on over here with civilian contractors.

You don't?
Demolition starts on sinking Fort Wayne hotel

[slotz10]

When i lived in town, i could go to the library for free. Now, live in the country and they want to charge me alot of money to go there.

I think NOT.

[armyda]

When i lived in town, i could go to the library for free. Now, live in the country and they want to charge me alot of money to go there.

I think NOT.

When you lived in town, your taxes paid to support the library. It wasn't free.

[evilkumquat]

You don't?
Demolition starts on sinking Fort Wayne hotel

You'll have to connect the dots for me.

How does Dick Cheney's Haliburton electricians providing faulty wiring in military showers that repeatedly causes electrocution deaths in our soldiers relate to civilian contractors over here who misjudged the engineering required to keep a civilian building from sinking, and were prevented from finishing the project by non-military city inspectors who found the faults early enough to prevent the building from being completed?

[armyda]

You'll have to connect the dots for me.

How does Dick Cheney's Haliburton electricians providing faulty wiring in military showers that repeatedly causes electrocution deaths in our soldiers relate to civilian contractors over here who misjudged the engineering required to keep a civilian building from sinking, and were prevented from finishing the project by non-military city inspectors who found the faults early enough to prevent the building from being completed?

Your comment was on contractors and how they act. You didn't have anything about inspectors.

[blue adept]

Your comment was on contractors and how they act. You didn't have anything about inspectors.

I think the difference is, we have inspectors, over there they aren't required by our government. There is a whole lot more room for corruption.

[denali]

When i lived in town, i could go to the library for free. Now, live in the country and they want to charge me alot of money to go there.

I think NOT.

What was the amount of "a lot of money" that you are talking about?

I live in a township that does not support our library and my library card was $39.00 for a whole year. Many people spend more than that at video stores in one month or on a meal for their family.

Personally I think that it is a real shame that every person in this county does not support the libraries.

Since I don't have children and don't use the public school system I don't want to pay school taxes, let's enact a user fee, okay? You pay for your children's education and I will pay for my library card and we will call if even.

[Sunbeam]

What makes everyone think the tax payer should pay for their library service?
If you use the library then pay a user fee. I do not use it, so I should not have to pay for it.

I don't use DeKalb schools, and neither do my children, but I still pay OUTRAGEOUS taxes for them....

The library, at least, we would use....