The Friends of the Library Blog
Category - What's New
Posted - 08/06/2014 06:40pm
1 Comments | Add Comment Return of Monday: the back story
The unanimous decision of the County Board of Supervisors to place a one eighth of one percent sales tax on the November ballot to help fund the library didn’t start out with that strong backing. At the start of the campaign for additional funding there was very little supervisor support for the measure. Thanks, though, to tireless workers at the library, the Friends of the Library, the Library Advisory board, the City of Sonoma , our Library Commissioner and many more dedicated library users the Supervisors became aware of the importance of the library as a vital community resource.
If the sales tax measure passes this means that Monday library hours may return and with the possibility of additional increased hours. The supplemental library funding, some eight to ten million dollars each year, will also be able to provide enhanced programs for children and seniors plus many other benefits that will make the library become a more vibrant part of a digital age.
With a two-thirds majority required to pass the increase, the next step is to be sure that all of us, you, me and everyone you know, votes for the measure in November.
Please be engaged, volunteer for the Friends of the Library. Contact: bob@svfol.org
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Today, the Sonoma County Library and its 13 branches are supported almost entirely by property taxes. This produces an overall annual library budget of $16,250,000. For the 492,000 residents of Sonoma County this is a Library expenditure, per resident, of only $33 per year. Compare this meager library budget to Napa County that spends $51 per resident per year, Marin County that spends $95 per resident and San Francisco that spends $100 per year.
If the 1/8 percent (.008) sales tax measure passes it will generate approximately 8 to 10 million dollars a year in additional library funding increasing County expenditures to $49 to $53 per resident. This is a respectable, but not great, expenditure.
• Restore library service hours to their previous level. Libraries will be open on Mondays.
• Enhance book purchasing for local libraries.
• Provide materials, educational workshops, library programs and more.
• Acquire new technology for the digital generation.
• Provide streaming video and music for library users at no charge for users.
Please, vote yes for Measure M to improve our Library .