The emergency in my opinion is to get this on with the school levy in May.  There is really no reason this has to be an emergency they could have put it on in August.  The May election will have a higher turnout due to the School levy, which means a greater chance of passing.

 

 

 

1. Is this levy needed to have access above and beyond what is available now? My answer is absolutely not. Is the library staying open 24/7 or maintaining its usual hrs? It is not going to be 24/7, so for those unemployed, would they not be sending resumes and checking non stop---of course. This levy has nothing to do with a harsh economy and keeping people employed. It has verything to do with keeping Middletown public workers employed.

 

2. The second issue which is less pressing, but certainly one which requires discussion is why is city council and the city administration consistently having these emergency legislative initiatives? That is self evident, because it prevents continued dialogue and influence upon those on council. Why think and contemplate about an issue when it has already been decided by a few.

 

Is it just me, or is everyone else beginning to comprehend the best paying jobs, offering the maximum security, least amount of stress, and benefits and retirement is the city, county, state, and federal government? You last 3-5 years on average in the top Fortune 50 companies today, in the public sector, you are set for life.

 

The levy is not about a need for patrons, it is about keeping public servants paid with benefits. Downsizing has no place in city , state, or federal government.   

 

Exactly what essential service does the library perform in its current scaled back state that the communities need?

 

Is it the story time for children that is essential?  Read to your own children or organized a local Reading by 3 or 4 children for free,

 

Is it the free computer use to find a job as they stated?  Get on a bus and go to Job and Family Services.

 

Is it the reduced hrs?  If you can't make it to the library when they are open is that going to devastate your life?

 

We all have to cut back in these times?  What makes the Library any different?  When times are good they flourish when they are bad you cut back and you don't throw a levy on so you can have story time for the kids.  Or free INTERNET access. Or because Mr. Bean is a nice guy.

 

The Library cuts back like any other business must make cut backs, it is just a fact of life.  We can't have decent roads but we can have a levy so several hundred people can go have free INTERNET access.  The logic in this escapes me.  Make due folks, find alternatives, do for yourselves for a change rather than rely constantly on others to do for you.  Just because it is a Public Service does not mean it doesn't need to be cutback in difficult times,  

 

Finally, for the computer access, yes again:

 

Non student guest:

 

Login: mumguest

password: middletown

 

And one is off to the races without a timeline (unline MPL).

 

There are other resources to be utilized that more than adequately compensate for the request for funding, which includes MUM and King Library (and others). But, rationale tought and optimizing assets rarely is a consideration when a tax levy comes about is it?   

There is no real reason to EVER emergency  a non-essential service levy.

The public should be permitted and encouraged to comment on such an issue.

Another patterned abuse of the process will fly right through Council since no one wants to be the "bad guy" holding up a "feel good" tax increase.

 

Mr.Bean is a good,caring and community-involved person of the highest degree.

Our library is a very nice building and service. So nice, that it has taken charge in both West Chester and Trenton-sharing material back and forth(with no charge to the public--a good thing, showing good management).

 

No mention whatsoever of library employees' pay rates or benefit packages. Are annual pay increases included in the levy funding request? No matter--no public discussion or further Council ?ing--just emergency it through to leave the voting public to seek out these answers themselves.

 

As mentioned by Mr.Laubaugh and Ms.Moon, certain charges should probably be initiated for many of the more costly sevices, such as intra-facility transfers, dvd/cd purchase and rental, meeting room space, computer use etc. Times have changed.

 

Up in their bedroom, the Beav says to bro Wally, " Gee Wally, wouldn't it be great if everything could stay just like it is and has been during this great time of our lives!! Mom stays home all day taking great care of the home, laundry,cooking et al while wearing stylish dresses,earrings, high heels and extremely well-coiffed. Dad works Mon.-Fri. 9-5 at the "office", weekends off, never brings home work, wears nice suits daily, comes home to lounge in his chair read the paper and smoke his pipe". Our neighborhood is crime-free and our neighbors are all just like us!".

 

Wally replies, "Sure Beav--this is swell! None of our friends have to work, we never need any money for anything, and everyone is always happy and trouble free. Life here in Middietown is truly All-American, with the big businesses providing virtually everything for us--jobs, parks, activities, funding for charities and sports teams. Can't get any better than this, and hopefully will stay like this forever!"

 

Wally and the Beaver go their separate ways with their similar friends for an afternoon of soda shop socializing and the Beav's usual hijinks.

 

June looks to Ward lovingly and says, "Ward, it's time for you to go upstairs and punish the beaver. A serious chewing-out is in order."

 

Yes--life  would be wunderful if we could all drop back to our glory days of the past and hold things just that way. Sometimes our Council/Admin seems locked into that philosophy, often downplaying current snafus while waiting for that return to the past or our "bright future".

 

Tough choices are ahead.

Public service workers continue to see spiraling wages while retiring earlier than ever. This creates a tremendous future liabilty for the individual and business tax-payer, who sees the profits shrinking and disappearing(somewhat like their property values and customer base). The pyramid is now inverted and crumbling. Non-essential levys, while small, add up to the point where the proverbial straw actually does break the back of the camel, rendering that camel useless.

 

jmo

I will support the library, while I understand that many others can't support it.

jmo