Pin It
ImageAt the May 19th annual school budget vote Lansing voters will decide if their recently created public library continues to warrant taxpayer dollars. Some food for thought:

Library proponents claim the library is highly used. They tell us how many library cards have been issued, but never the library's visitor statistics (the number of people who actually walk through its doors, data most libraries publish). Do you use this library? Do you know anyone who does?

Their objective is FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) in telling us that removing taxpayer funding will force the library to close altogether and distribute its assets to other libraries in the county. In truth, the law does not prevent the library from returning to its status as a volunteer-run reading room of the Tompkins County Public Library, and the assets can then stay in Lansing.

A justification we're given for the library's continuance is the fact that it only costs the typical taxpayer the equivalent of a book or two each year. However, some of Lansing's fixed-income taxpayers may experience the cost as a day or two of heating oil or food. Remember this when you step into the voting booth.

From: John Schabowski

----
v5i18
Pin It