As a single mother, Margaret Clinton often relies on services at the Boulder Public Library.
Because of this, the Gunbarrel resident is very much in support of the formation of a property-tax funded library district, which is set to be voted on next month.
“Solidifying Boulder’s library services is good for all of us, even if we never use the services at the library,” Clinton said in a town hall Thursday.
The Boulder County Commissioners held the meeting to hear from unincorporated Boulder County residents on the matter ahead of a joint public hearing April 5 with the Boulder City Council.
The currently proposed library district boundaries include all of Boulder city limits but also extend into the unincorporated part of the county, so the district must be approved by both the County Commission and the City Council.
If both entities approve it, registered voters within the district boundaries would then have to OK a property tax increase in the November election. It’s possible there could be a provision that would allow multiple elections if the first is unsuccessful — but that’s not guaranteed.
Those who spoke Thursday evening were largely in support of a district, which many argue would provide a stable source of funding for a much-needed resource that, like many, was devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Boulder’s Public Library cut its budget by more than $1 million in 2020 and laid off and furloughed staff, library staff have previously stated.
Beyond the financial stability a library district could provide, those in favor generally appreciate what the library offers for the community.
Gunbarrel resident Tom Myer said he grew up overseas with parents in the military and government service, which meant he grew up going to libraries on military bases or in towns near them.
“To say that libraries have shaped who I am … is a complete and utter understatement,” he said.
“Our libraries are the milk and honey of Boulder,” Henry Koren agreed.
The Library District Advisory Committee recommended funding the library district with a property tax mill levy of up to 3.8 mills in order to bring in the $20 million needed annually to expand services, a goal stated in the 2018 Boulder Public Library master plan.
If it’s able to do so, the library advisory committee has proposed a number of ideas for the money, including addressing the facility maintenance backlog, restoring library hours to pre-pandemic levels, fully funding the new North Boulder Library and opening branches in Gunbarrel and Niwot.
This was a draw for many who spoke in Thursday’s meeting, a lot of whom live in Gunbarrel.
Kelly Donovan was among those who spoke in favor, noting a Gunbarrel branch would be a huge benefit. As a working mother, it’s hard to drive across town to branches in the city of Boulder to pick up and drop off books, she said.
The Library District Advisory Committee, or LDAC, also suggested forming a seven-member Library District Board of Trustees. Members would initially be selected by the City Council and the County Commission and later chosen by outgoing trustees.
The City Council established the LDAC in 2021 to study issues related to the district and the intergovernmental agreement between the county, the city and the district that is required to form it.
While the majority of those who testified in Thursday’s meeting were in support, the district certainly isn’t unanimously supported.
For example, some members of the Boulder City Council worry about potential complications related to the buildings, most of which the city owns, and some councilmembers think the physical spaces should be leased for $1 instead of being transferred to the library district, if it’s successful.
Additionally, some have expressed concerns about raising property taxes. If a 3.8-mill increase is approved, it would equate to about $272 a year for a home valued at $1 million, according to information presented Thursday.
Rick Sheingold, a resident who spoke during the meeting, reiterated this.
“Boulder is becoming more and more impossible to live in, and adding more and more taxes doesn’t make it any easier,” he said.
And Boulder County resident Marni Ratzel acknowledged that many of those who spoke in favor are those who live in the city of Boulder or in unincorporated areas in close proximity and thus stand to benefit from the district.
“I don’t oppose the concept of a library district,” Ratzel said. “Just the one that has been proposed that does not utilize my unincorporated Boulder County tax dollars equitably or to the benefit of about two-thirds of our Boulder County population.”
Following the county’s discussion, the Boulder City Council is poised to work through some of the key issues in the draft intergovernmental agreement during its regular meeting Tuesday.
If you watch
What: Boulder City Council meeting
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Council and city staff members will participate from remote locations. Residents can watch the meeting on Boulder’s YouTube channel or on Channel 8.
Agenda: bit.ly/34geMhj
"hear" - Google News
March 14, 2022 at 12:00AM
https://ift.tt/hRbVj3a
Boulder County Commissioners hear from county residents on library district ahead of April hearing - Boulder Daily Camera
"hear" - Google News
https://ift.tt/HdnSTkv
https://ift.tt/IptQbrF
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Boulder County Commissioners hear from county residents on library district ahead of April hearing - Boulder Daily Camera"
Post a Comment