The Library Tax

It is not what they are talking about that concerns me....It is all that they are not talking about.....The voters will decide...although if you live outside the county and work in Jefferson County you are out of luck....and I think that the vote will be much closer than people think and I hope that all of the people that have been seeing the truth behind thes warm a fuzzy commercials they have been playing and the large amount of money they have spent on the ad campain...get out and vote NO. Hey Jerry what about the new liabraries with no increase in taxes.....and the council getting a 16 million cookie jar if it passes...heck sure they like it....It would make a lot more sence if the city continues the 16 million for the libraries and then reduce the tax rate for the rest of the 40 million they are shooting for. Then people would be more in favor to vote for it...

Read my lips: No New Libraries!

Gee I guess that Jerry mis spoke in his last campain ad....He must have meant no new libraies with no increase in taxes...Good old Jerry...The Mayor for life...I mean lie...

I am still not persuaded, and will be voting no. IMHO, the $16 million currently allocated in the Metro budget for the libraries, should stay allocated for the libraries. Then a bond issue should be floated for the bricks and mortar construction costs. Bond issues are completely appropriate for building infrastructure. Then I would be in favor of a smaller tax to supplement the Metro allocation for ongoing library expenses.

No one is against the library. We're against being overtaxed, creating a windfall for Metro government and not exploring all options available before jumping into the tax.

I'm for the library system...But I'm not for the obvious money grab by the current city administration...That's way too much money to be earmarked with out a voter reprentation($40 million for an APPIONTED POSITION)
VOTE NO!!!!

Well, they funded a 25,000 seat Arena..How do you think they are going to pay for it?...They have to pay the interest on those bonds don't they?..

Let's pass a "Library Tax" No one will notice!

VOTE NO!!! on Tuesday....

The Library will survive..It's not going anywhere....

I'm for the library system...But I'm not for the obvious money grab by the current city administration...That's way too much money to be earmarked with out a voter reprentation($40 million for an APPIONTED POSITION)

The new Board of Trustees starts out as a list from the state Director of Libraries. That list then goes to the mayor who choses 5 and submits that list to metro council. Metro council then gets to hold hearings and approve or disapprove nominees. You have three levels of checks and balances there. What would you prefer?

Then a bond issue should be floated for the bricks and mortar construction costs. Bond issues are completely appropriate for building infrastructure. Then I would be in favor of a smaller tax to supplement the Metro allocation for ongoing library expenses.

Leah,

Both plans call for a bond issue for the initial build out. That is the only way you can get $200 million in libraries built in the 7 year time frame. The issue is how to pay for those bonds once they are issued. Under our plan there is certainty that there is not only enough money to pay the principle and interest on the bonds but also to keep libraries open. Most people agree the "alternative plan" that you have mentioned is fiscally irresponsible and won't work. Most importantly, we have every indication it won't pass metro council for just that reason.

Just so you know I consider myself a fiscal conservative. I'm not an advocate for raising taxes just to raise taxes and think government has a responsibility to its citizens to run as lean an operation as possible. I'd prefer to have more money in my pocket just like everyone else. But if you believe that our library system is inadequate to meet the needs of this community (most people do) IMHO this is the only plan that I've seen that will work and will guarantee that the libraries will have the funding they need.

Metro council is seeing astronomical increases in healthcare and retirement costs. In the very near future we are going to have to tighten our belts in many areas. You can't cut fire, police or EMS and no one has pointed out to me where you can cut and still give the libraries the $40 million they need.

Waitaminit. Whaddyamean "Both plans call for a bond issue for the initial build out."

First I've heard/read of that. And I've read everything I could find online and everything in the C-J.

So you're saying that if this tax gets passed we lose money from each and every paycheck AND the city still has to pay off a bond issue?

If that's true, then I'm against this twice as much. Thanks for the clarification.

::Marches around in circles:: Vote NO ::Marches around in circles::

If the plan passes the bond issue gets paid for out of the money raised in the payroll tax that is dedicated to the library. Not out of the city funds.

I do hope that once this vote is taken and the issue is settled, again, for another few years that you all would band together and join me in marching to 6th & Broadway. In that once storied building of the Courier-Journal reside an editorial board of such vindictive, shallow and craven ilk that it boggles the mind.

Whether it is 8664 or a new library tax or any other issue that needs to be examined, discussed and then voted on in this metro area, can we not find some tolerant, open minded way to respect every opinion whether you agree with it or not?

Louisville is a vibrant, dynamic, diverse and creative melange of culture, class and character and it is being paid a huge disservice by the Courier Journal.

So either for or against, please go vote. And then please tell the editorial board to ooze back into the giant McCarthy era lake it slithered out of.

There are cities in this country like Austin, TX; Portland, OR; Charlotte, NC; Denver, CO; and Nashville, TN. These are vibrant, dynamic cities that value education, arts, culture and community. AS a result they attract dynamic and vibrant employers and dynamic and vibrant people to work for those employers.

Then there are the cities that languish in the status quo and watch as the other cities pass them by. Louisville seems determined to be in the latter group despite the heroic efforts of some determined civic leaders and entrepreneurs.

We have no problem earmarking millions of dollars for a basketball arena, but balk at funding libraries.

[Robin Garr]

We have no problem earmarking millions of dollars for a basketball arena, but balk at funding libraries.

This makes no sense to me. I'm also befuddled to see intelligent people against it ... by and large, this issue divides the community along the usual lines, with the yahoos and people whose spelling and grammar limitations sugges that they need libraries the most ranting against it. Hell, <i>Frank Simon</i> is against it because he says libraries teach anti-Christian values. C'mon, people! Look at who you're lining up with here!

I don't get a vote so I'm not "lining up" with anybody. I am against anyone, pro or con, whose argument includes Dr. Simon or personal attacks on anybody

My point is: stick to the facts of the issue. Naive as that may sound people have enough (well, at least as much) sense as the C-J editorial board. And if that can't happen then at least have the common courage to sign your name to your opinion.

He said no new taxes for the libraries......and I'll be damned if I will vote for a new tax after being promised that we won't have one. Besides, the part of the issue with the board that is not accountable to the municipality scares the ever-loving bejesus out of me......