Levy Lid Lift
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E L Johnson
Jan 12, 2009, 6:59:54 PM1/12/09
to Friends of the Olympia Library
The attached was sent to me. I sent it on to Mary and requested that
this be on the January aganda.
Eve Johnson
TRL Problems (1-7-09)
Problems with proposed levy lid lift election
1. Huge Tax rate increase. 52% increase in property taxing authority.
2. February ballot very expensive. In Thurston County alone, a
February ballot will be approximately $300,000 more expensive than a
November ballot. Similar additional expenses will occur in the other
four counties. If TRL is so short of cash, why have they picked the
most expensive election date?
3. February ballot has no voter’s pamphlet. This prevents voters from
being presented with pro and con information on which to base their
votes. TRL declined the option providing a special mini voter’s
pamphlet, which would have cost only about $10,000.
4. Funding level adequate. In the most recent year for which data are
available (2006), Timberland’s funding level is very comparable to the
funding levels in similar library districts in Washington.
Problems with Policies
5. Unequal treatment of Thurston County. In some parts of the five-
county district, TRL provides buildings in addition to services. In
Thurston County, TRL provides only services; the cities have to
provide the buildings. City residents pay the same level of library
taxes; why don’t we also get buildings provided by TRL? In addition,
TRL spends less money per capita on library services in Thurston
County than in the remainder of the district. This seems unfair.
6. TRL Board not accountable to the voters. The seven board members
are appointed for 7-year terms (longer than State Supreme Court
Justices!) and cannot be removed except for “just cause”. In
addition, it is the only non-elected body that levies property taxes
in Thurston County.
7. Violates “one person, one vote” principle. Thurston County has over
50% of the TRL District population and pays over 50% of its property
taxes, but has only two members on the seven-member board.
8. Counties cannot withdraw. Member counties are unable to withdraw
from TRL if they are unhappy with its operations.
9. Unrealistic borrowing authority. TRL borrowing is limited to 6
years, compared with much longer limits for most jurisdictions. This
makes it difficult for TRL to provide major library buildings. TRL
Board and staff have not supported increasing this unrealistic
limitation, thus helping to keep Thurston County from having library
buildings provided by TRL.
10. Threatened lay-offs are caused by TRL Board actions. The TRL Board
is saying that if this “levy lid lift” does not pass, staff will have
to be laid off and services reduced. What they haven’t said is that
they created this problem themselves by funding staff increases with
reserves in the past two years.
11. Board meetings not televised. The TRL board has steadfastly
refused to televise its meetings. This deprives the public of
information about the board’s decision making. This seems particularly
inappropriate for an agency whose mission is public information, and
in a climate where accountability has become very highly valued. By
contrast, Thurston County, Lacey, Tumwater, Olympia, and the Port of
Olympia televise all regular meetings.
this be on the January aganda.
Eve Johnson
TRL Problems (1-7-09)
Problems with proposed levy lid lift election
1. Huge Tax rate increase. 52% increase in property taxing authority.
2. February ballot very expensive. In Thurston County alone, a
February ballot will be approximately $300,000 more expensive than a
November ballot. Similar additional expenses will occur in the other
four counties. If TRL is so short of cash, why have they picked the
most expensive election date?
3. February ballot has no voter’s pamphlet. This prevents voters from
being presented with pro and con information on which to base their
votes. TRL declined the option providing a special mini voter’s
pamphlet, which would have cost only about $10,000.
4. Funding level adequate. In the most recent year for which data are
available (2006), Timberland’s funding level is very comparable to the
funding levels in similar library districts in Washington.
Problems with Policies
5. Unequal treatment of Thurston County. In some parts of the five-
county district, TRL provides buildings in addition to services. In
Thurston County, TRL provides only services; the cities have to
provide the buildings. City residents pay the same level of library
taxes; why don’t we also get buildings provided by TRL? In addition,
TRL spends less money per capita on library services in Thurston
County than in the remainder of the district. This seems unfair.
6. TRL Board not accountable to the voters. The seven board members
are appointed for 7-year terms (longer than State Supreme Court
Justices!) and cannot be removed except for “just cause”. In
addition, it is the only non-elected body that levies property taxes
in Thurston County.
7. Violates “one person, one vote” principle. Thurston County has over
50% of the TRL District population and pays over 50% of its property
taxes, but has only two members on the seven-member board.
8. Counties cannot withdraw. Member counties are unable to withdraw
from TRL if they are unhappy with its operations.
9. Unrealistic borrowing authority. TRL borrowing is limited to 6
years, compared with much longer limits for most jurisdictions. This
makes it difficult for TRL to provide major library buildings. TRL
Board and staff have not supported increasing this unrealistic
limitation, thus helping to keep Thurston County from having library
buildings provided by TRL.
10. Threatened lay-offs are caused by TRL Board actions. The TRL Board
is saying that if this “levy lid lift” does not pass, staff will have
to be laid off and services reduced. What they haven’t said is that
they created this problem themselves by funding staff increases with
reserves in the past two years.
11. Board meetings not televised. The TRL board has steadfastly
refused to televise its meetings. This deprives the public of
information about the board’s decision making. This seems particularly
inappropriate for an agency whose mission is public information, and
in a climate where accountability has become very highly valued. By
contrast, Thurston County, Lacey, Tumwater, Olympia, and the Port of
Olympia televise all regular meetings.
chey...@trlib.org
Jan 12, 2009, 7:52:53 PM1/12/09
to Friends of the Olympia Library
Mary Belz, please let me know as soon as possible if you would like
Mike Crose, Administrative Services Manager, to respond to these
points at the next Friends' meeting on Tuesday, January 20, thanks.
Mike Crose, Administrative Services Manager, to respond to these
points at the next Friends' meeting on Tuesday, January 20, thanks.
E L Johnson
Jan 12, 2009, 8:42:57 PM1/12/09
to olympia...@googlegroups.com, Mary Belz
Thanks, Cheryl.
It would be a plus for us to be able to answer critics.
Eve
________________________________________
PeoplePC Online
A better way to Internet
http://www.peoplepc.com
It would be a plus for us to be able to answer critics.
Eve
PeoplePC Online
A better way to Internet
http://www.peoplepc.com
chey...@trlib.org
Jan 13, 2009, 12:46:46 PM1/13/09
to Friends of the Olympia Library
Everyone,
Michael Crose, Timberland Regional Library's Administrative Services
Manager, will attend the Friends' meeting on Tuesday, January 20 to
address the above concerns.
> A better way to Internethttp://www.peoplepc.com- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Michael Crose, Timberland Regional Library's Administrative Services
Manager, will attend the Friends' meeting on Tuesday, January 20 to
address the above concerns.
>
> - Show quoted text -
Mary Belz
Jan 13, 2009, 2:53:05 PM1/13/09
to Friends of the Olympia Library
I'll put Mike Crose at the top of our Tues Board Meeting agenda.
Mary B.
> > A better way to Internethttp://www.peoplepc.com-Hide quoted text -
Mary B.
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