Library Levy on August Ballot
On the August 17th ballot there will be a library levy increase. The North Olympic Library System voted unanimously to put this measure on the ballot.
The library wants the property tax levy rate to go from 33 cents to 50 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value. The library system has already scheduled two 1-week closures, reduced staff, reduced hours of operation at three branches, and postponed some maintenance.
The library system has a plan called NOLS 2012. This calls for restoring their previous hours; acquiring more books, CDs and other materials; and maintaining this level of service for at least ten years. NOLS 2012 is based on passage of the levy lid lift in August.
Paula Barnes, director of the library system, said: “If the levy does not pass, the NOLS 2012 plan cannot be implemented, and the library will need to cut staffing, hours of operation and the book budget in order to balance its budget.”
The library wants the property tax levy rate to go from 33 cents to 50 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value. The library system has already scheduled two 1-week closures, reduced staff, reduced hours of operation at three branches, and postponed some maintenance.
The library system has a plan called NOLS 2012. This calls for restoring their previous hours; acquiring more books, CDs and other materials; and maintaining this level of service for at least ten years. NOLS 2012 is based on passage of the levy lid lift in August.
Paula Barnes, director of the library system, said: “If the levy does not pass, the NOLS 2012 plan cannot be implemented, and the library will need to cut staffing, hours of operation and the book budget in order to balance its budget.”
Labels: Library levy, NOLS, NOLS 2012, North Olympic Library System, Paula Barnes
posted by Tom Harper at 6:28 PM
15 Comments:
I taught an evening computer class there for two years just after the new library opened. Just a volunteer thing, I hope that they can get back to the old hours and such but I am wondering about something.
How much is the administrator making? I know the one that retired a few years back and judging by his two nice homes and lifestyle he must have been paid damn well. And how much is all other paid help making? It sticks in my mind that they are union and union folks never want to take a reduction in wages when times are not good.
In fact more often than not they want raises. Greed works like that. Sorry, but I consider a library to be a public service thing, not a gold mine for your pocket book.
It seems that a lot of folks don't really want to serve the community unless they can get paid damn good money for it. I don't think that is right.
Good point made, BBC. How much does the Administrator make???
Oh, the retired administrator of the North Olympic Library System, we was pretty damn good friends until recently.
When I got wind that they were whining that the economy and housing market had gone to hell so they couldn't take a fancy trip to Europe now.
I told him to stop his fucking whining and be thankful for what they do have because they had it pretty fancy for a long time before that.
Haven't heard from him since, that's fine with me, my best friends are just country folks like me.
NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!
I am SICK of being taxed, taxed, taxed!!!!!
It couldn't be just salaries. It is rising costs of utilities, infrastructure upkeep, mailing, etc.. But what about this? I'm surprised it isn't posted on the blog:
http://www.konp.com/local/5710
Former PA mayor hired by consulting company
April 23rd, 2010 - 2:44am
(Port Angeles) -- A former Port Angeles mayor is going to work for a firm that consulted on major projects for the city in the past.
Karen Rogers will oversee Exeltech's regional business-development functions.
The company has served as a consultant for the city of Port Angeles on a number of large projects in the past, including the downtown Gateway Center project and new 8th Street Bridges. The Lacey, Washington-based company also consults on public and private sector projects throughout the northwest.
Company officials say they'll tap Rogers' experience in city government and as former president of the Association of Washington Cities to help it better work with public entities.
Rogers wrapped up an 8-year term on the Port Angeles city council last year.
Exceltech says Rogers will be based in the company's Port Angeles office.
Anonymous 9:27 PM
Not uncommon for whores to move in with their pimps, and vice versa…
Without an educated workforce, no community can have much hope of prospering. And libraries are an important part of our educational system. And having qualified professionals (who are paid appropriately) is a crucial part of having a quality library.
As for Karen Rogers...I'M JUST SO SURPRISED! Gosh, you mean the company she's been shilling for for years, the one who has an office in the building she manages, they've hired her?!? What a shocker.
But seriously, what has really changed for Momma Rogers? She's been pimping for Exceltech already - why should that change just because she's off of the City Council?
And could this (undoubtedly well-paying job) be the reason she didn't run for City Council again?
Or was it the fact that she's being investigated by the State of Washington?
NO MORE TAXES. The recent valuations are insane...way higher than the "real value" of the property around here. I'm not paying any more taxes, and I don't care what the library needs to do to say open, let them cut back like the rest of us are doing.
AND, why, pray tell, does a library need to be unionized? Where there terrible labor conditions, and they needed to unionize? I think it's a crock. They, and the city unionized workers, and the county all need to get pay cuts like everyone else in this town has been suffering with.
The Watcher said...Without an educated workforce, no community can have much hope of prospering.
Hey there... There's plenty of educated and willing folks in this town even if they need some training in some jobs. The folks in these parts are just as smart as folks anywhere.
The damn self important big shots put too much stock in diplomas and such. Some of the most skilled folks I know are as much as self trained, including in computers.
The number of Pierce County employees earning six-figure salaries rose dramatically last year even as the county struggled to balance its budget.
And to think that many others could do just a good of a job doing public service while getting paid only 40 grand a year.
A person's education is their own responsibility. I don't see anything in our Constitution requiring all of our citizenry to pay for others' education. Get a frickin job and pay for your own damn education...and your own damn books. I'm tired of paying for everyone else to sit on their ass while I work mine off.
Anon 11:21 says:
"They, and the city unionized workers, and the county all need to get pay cuts like everyone else in this town has been suffering with."
I'm sure I saw an article at the start of the year saying that all the union workers (and non-union workers too) at the county DID take a pay cut on January 1st. I think they said it was the only local government in the state that imposed the negative COLA on its workers. Now I hear two of the unions are suing Clallam County to reverse that decision.
Dan...What does the Constitution say about interstate highways? Or freedom of expression on blogs? Or public funding for NASA?
In other words, your argument against libraries is pretty much apples and oranges - it doesn't fit or make much sense. If we had to limit ourselves and our society to what's in the Constitution, we'd still be riding around in horse-drawn carriages driven by slaves.
I have to ask: Do you REALLY think it's a good idea to do away with public funding for schools (and libraries)? Because that's what it sounds like you're advocating. And if that IS what you're advocating, what do you propose we replace our public schools with? How will we educate people?
Or are you advocating that we simply do away with education entirely?
The library hasn't expanded, it doesn't have more branches, yet it desperately needs more money.
Why? Because of capital expenditures, and increased staff. So they are in trouble because of their excess spending.
Everyone has to make 100k+, everyone has to be an executive, nobody should have to work too hard.
I think all employees as government and publicly funded entities salaries should be capped at 125% of the area's median income. So in Clallam, the maximum salary would be $58.7k. They want a raise, they have to create more high paying jobs in the area.
It BS. Get your friends to vote no on this crap.
A'm jist ginst edjikachun ant datz a fakt. Yu edjikated tips jist otter go bakk to Yurop an liv unduh soshalistism cos A'm a frih Amurikan an ah dunt ned anie. luk ats Obahmah hez bin edjikated yoh wan yur chillen to be lik hims? Nut mi, no wai!
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