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Paying For Mt. Pleasant Library- Kidding Right?

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acclaro View Drop Down
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    Posted: Jan 07 2015 at 9:23pm
Butler Cty continues to be one of the highest taxed counties in Ohio.

You paid to bail out the Middletown Sr Citizens Ctr. Recall those false signs they were trying to sell their property that they put up to show fiscal responsibility? Had about 1200 members that every property owner paid for their fiscal irresponsibility.

Now, its Mt. Pleasant Nursing Home's turn to take public funds to build a library to serve a minor % of county residents.

It would be wise for the property owner and evaluate the amount of money they are spending on serving the needs of a small number of individuals residing in the city and county.

Be wise for a change. VOTE NO.

_______________________

    

By Ed Richter

Staff Writer

BUTLER COUNTY —

Butler County taxpayers residing in the MidPointe Library System district may be seeing a request to renew its current tax levy this May.

Officials with MidPointe told Middletown City Council that the library system will seek a renewal of its current five-year, 0.75 mill operating levy.

Middletown City Council is the taxing authority for the local library system that has locations in Middletown, Trenton and West Chester Twp.

The 2010 levy generated just more than $2.97 million or about 40 percent of the library’s 2013 revenues. In 2013, the library system received more than $7.85 million in revenues and had just more than $7.06 million in expenses. The library also received $225,623 in fines and fees in 2013.

Any library levy request must be placed on the ballot by Middletown City Council. Council would have to have the levy request filed by Feb. 4 with the Butler County Board of Elections to be placed on the May 5 ballot.

If approved, the levy renewal would continue to cost the owner of a home valued at $100,000 about $21.44 annually, according to Deborah Preston, the library system’s fiscal officer.

The levy renewal would ensure the library system maintains services and materials at all of its locations as well as its Outreach Services Department, Preston said.

Preston told council that approval of the levy renewal would also allow for expansion in growing communities.

In June, the MidPointe Library System announced it would partner with Mount Pleasant Retirement Village to open a 2,100-square-foot, full-service library on the retirement campus at 1 Tennessee Ave. in Monroe.

No opening date has been set, but the library will use a $500,000 donation from an estate in Monroe — designated to support the establishment of a MidPointe Library in Monroe — that will support operations, technology and materials at the new location, library spokeswoman Cari Hillman told the Journal-News in June.

While it is projected that state library funding will remain stable, Library Director Anita Carroll said a levy failure would force the library board “to make some serious decisions.”

MidPointe has more than 128,360 library card holders across locations in Middletown, Trenton and West Chester Twp. The MidPointe Library System circulated more than 3.74 million items across its three branches in 2013, including books, DVDs and downloaded material.

The West Chester location opened in 2009, but MidPointe has existed in Middletown for more than 100 years and in Trenton for 22 years.


 
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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VietVet View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 6:50am
acclaro:

I understand the meaning of your post. No one hates levies as much as I do. EVERYONE has their hand in our wallets with little return noticed by the contributor.

I would like to offer another perspective on this and please feel free to critique my response.

The Seniors levy passage only benefited those who use their facility and services. (as I have mentioned many times, I voted for it because we use the seniors handicapped van to take my wife to and from her doctor's appointments, but we have never used their facility). IE- we voted for the levy for selfish purposes. I can readily understand why you and many others voted against it for your reasons mentioned. The Senior Center levy is a small amount yearly compared to the school levy/property tax increases we see when they are approved.

I can also understand your thoughts on voting no on the library levy too. Again, the library levy, like the Seniors Levy is a small amount out of the wallet compared to the school levies and would be used by a small contingent of the population.

My point is related to how much "bang for the buck" are we getting from the Seniors Levy passage and now this library proposed levy........and then ask yourself how much "bang for the buck" have we and are we getting from the bond/school levy passages?

IMO, passing the Seniors Levy at least gave the older contingent in this city a place to go and to dine with friends and, in our case, is providing transportation for medical needs for my wife. I see some monetary return for the money spent here.

The Library gives all of us an opportunity to check out books, movies and music if we choose to use the service. I see some monetary return for that money spent as well.

HOWEVER, I DO NOT and have not in the past, seen any positive return on any bond levies, operational levies, emergency levies nor renewal levies to date as to any "bang for the buck" from the schools. IMO, all the money asked for and all the money given to this district in three decades, has been thrown down the drain as value added. I do not see the taxpaying people of Middletown getting ANYTHING for their property tax contribution in this district. A poor investment as to return for all of us.

The schools take a much larger amount out of our budgets than any senior or library money taken. And, I believe we are getting more for less from these two levies than any school levy so far.

IMO, any school levy is a much greater threat to a return on investment compared to these minor amounts asked for. JMO
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 7:09am
The Seniors Citizen levy put those whom did not use the Center nor were members, PAY for mismanagement, bad decisions,including buying 11 acres of land, tearing down a bld, and rebuilding, for a small number of members. Their failure to attract seniors was absorbed by taxpayers who owned homes. It was outrageous and certainly was not worth any investment by taxpayers whom did not get a bang for the buck. Rather, they paid for mistakes made by the Board, and the inability of the Center to attract sufficient paying members.

Simply because Mt Pleasant was gifted $500,000 doesn't mean it is proper to have taxpayers pay the balance for a few to have a center for them as retired folks. The politicians like this voting block and pander to them to pay for their votes as they don't pay property taxes. One assuems every nursing center should now have their own public library.

As for the schools, rhe ratio of students to a retiree is about 7x to 8x to 1, which is a better bang for buck than anything associated with senior citizens or a nursing home library.

Tired of the ease these levies surface. It isn't worth living in Butler Cty nor Middletown. Reason enough to appeal the taxes to bring them down another 30,000 to have such a high tax rate attached to the tax magnet when one owns property in the cty fond of tax magnets.  
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote middletownscouter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 11:07am
The library system is asking for a renewal levy where the amount we are already paying won't be increased (unless your property value increased since the last evaluation), but they're going to be able to not just continue to operate the Middletown, Trenton and West Chester locations, but also open a fourth location in Monroe. Increased services and offerings to your patrons for no increased monies. Seems like one of the few cases where the ROI is a good value to the taxpayer. Public libraries are there to serve all of our residents regardless of age or demographic.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 11:28am
The amount previously taxed has been used, so the defeat would actually REDUCE taxes.

Mobile services provided by MidPoint. This is a gift for seniors passing the Sr Citizens Ctr, then school levy, now library system.



 
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote middletownscouter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 12:34pm
Defeating it would also reduce the entire library operating budget by 40%, not just stop an expansion. Hurts everyone, not just seniors.

The Monroe location being helpful for the residents at Mt. Pleasant also would be usable by all of Monroe's residents. 4300 library card holders live in Monroe. Not all of them at the retirement village.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 2:21pm
This is a tax on the homeowners of MIDDLETOWN.

Five years ago, this tax was first imposed on the homeowners of MIDDLETOWN and the library board promptly dropped "Middletown" from the library's name and then built a branch in West Chester. (I don't even recall getting a "thank you" from West Chester for this multi-million dollar gift!!!)

Now they want to continue this tax on the homeowners of MIDDLETOWN to build a branch in Monroe? Would this be the same Monroe that SUES us every time we rezone land within the City of Middletown??? How much have these law suits cost us in legal fees???
“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote middletownscouter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 4:02pm
That isn't an accurate representation of how the Midpointe Library Service District levy works. The taxes from that levy are collected from the property owners within the Midpointe Library System District throughout Butler County. That does include the city of Middletown, but also includes the City of Trenton, townships of West Chester, Liberty, Lemon, Madison, and Wayne, and already includes the City of Monroe. The residents of Monroe have already been funding the Midpointe library branches for many years. Like Mr. Presta I'm no fan of the general perceived attitude of Monroe towards it's northern neighbor, but in this instance the vitriol is misplaced.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 08 2015 at 10:30pm
The library is not needed in Monroe.

I drive every weekend to shop on Montgomery, to dine at the Montgomery Inn, and buy groceries at Traders Joe's. I drop in the West Chester library, read for an hour or so, and occasionally take out a video.

Evidently, Monroe residents don't drive nor leave Monroe.

Lets hope the usual intelligence of the West Chester voter will defeat this needless and wasteful request.
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote middletownscouter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 12 2015 at 10:57am
Let's hope the intelligence of all the Midpointe Library System District voters will realize that defeating a renewal levy would cut operating funds for all of the library branches by 40%, essentially decimating them. Reduced days / hours of operation, reduction in staffing, less services provided, less new materials, etc. All to stop expansion of a branch into Monroe that will be mostly funded by a private donation. Clear example of cutting off one's nose to spite the face.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 12 2015 at 11:45am
Middletown's library houses during the day, an enormous amount of homeless individuals. I visited the library in Middletown a month ago for the first time in years, and was astonished how dirty the library was, how poorly it's lighting,and how worn down in overall appearance.

If one goes to the MUM library, from 5-9, you won't find 3-4 people there. One has the library to themselves, hence, there is plenty of capacity to meet the demands of those desiring to use the library.

These constant levies make taxes on a 130,000 house in Middletown, pay about 3,000 in taxes, more than a 600,000 house in Scottsdale Arizona by about 1400 annually.

Raising taxes decreases property valuation.

Defeat the levy.
'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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