Here we are in 2012 facing the reality of reduced library services in order to manage a “sustainable budget”. I haven’t given you an update since our lawsuit was dismissed and I want you to know we are still alive and kicking!
JCPL’s Senior Management Team has indeed done an outstanding job cutting their operating expenses down to match the projected 2012 revenue of $24,627,711, down just about $1M from the 2011 revenue of $25,647,207. These revenues represent a property tax levy of 3.225 mills and the loss of revenue from 2011 to 2012 is due entirely to lower property assessed valuations, a problem faced by all levels of county government.
I have no problem with this and I think the library management and staff as well as the patrons of JCPL are willing to tighten their belts in these tough economic times. Let’s face it – we are very lucky to have experienced only an average four percent drop in assessed values. Think about libraries in Florida and Arizona!
What I do have a problem with is that revenues in 2008 were $27,765,529 at a tax levy of 3.425 mills. What happened to THAT two million dollars? As I’m sure you know by now, that money was “shifted” out of the library’s voter-approved tax levy starting in 2010 by the Board of County Commissioners in order to plug holes in their own budget.
THAT’s what I have a problem with. Jeffco voters approved that tax levy in 1986, up to 3.5 mills to operate the library, not as a slush fund for the Commissioners to use as they see fit. In fact, that voter-approved 3.5 mills should serve as a cushion to help the library through economic hard times. But no – that cushion has been “shifted” from the library and is now comforting the heads of our County Commissioners.
Let’s be clear about why we are seeing service cuts at the library. About a third of these cuts is due to our tough economy. We can live with that. But two thirds is due to the County Commissioners blatantly taking money out of the library’s tax levy. In my view, that is a slap at the taxpaying Jeffco voters who have said they are willing to pay for their library services.
So does JCPL have a “sustainable budget”? Sure – to the extent that ANY budget is sustainable if you cut enough services and lay off enough staff. But you can’t define sustainability for the library when you can’t depend on its revenue – while we have County Commissioners who are willing to use the library’s tax levy as a fungible source of County revenue.
In the meantime, all the library can do is cut its operating expenses, such as:
- Staff reductions of about 14 FTEs (on top of last year’s reduction of another 14)
- Hours of service reduced to 51 hours/week at full-service libraries, down from 63 hrs/wk before Mondays were closed.
- Books and Materials budget reduced
- Staff training budget slashed
These cuts strike at the core of the Library’s mission. How much will they matter to Jeffco patrons? I guess we’ll find out. At the January board meeting, the only public comment was from a woman who wanted to know whether she could make a cash contribution to help restore hours of service. It’s important to her.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. As an independent library district, the tax levy we voters approved for library services would be under control of the Library Board of Trustees and right now we wouldn’t be facing these service cuts and staff layoffs. THAT would be a sustainable budget.
A piece of good news I have to report is that the County’s attempts to circumvent our petition by attacking the Library Law has induced other libraries to offer their support. As a result, Save Jeffco Libraries’ legal team has been bolstered with services donated by other Colorado libraries. We are extremely gratified by this assistance and it gives us confidence that we stand ready to meet any further legal challenges.
I want you all to know that we are committed to seeing JCPL’s revenue and policies protected by becoming an independent library district. That’s the only way the library will ever be able to operate on a sustainable budget. We are not giving up and we need your help. This effort may be simple but it’s not easy. Together, we can prevail.
It’s up to us!
Thank you,
I find it very interesting that the revenue projections are down because my home’s assessed value went up 9% between 2010 and 2011, which means my property taxes went up. I have discussed this with other homeowners in Jeffco and they are also experiencing increases in their assessed values.
I stand with the woman from the January board meeting, I am more than willing to make a cash contribution to my library to maintain its excellent level of service!
I understand the need to tighten belts. It would have been interesting to see what led to how the hours were distributed. I was very disappointed to see the number of evening hours that were cut. Since I never have the chance to go to the library in the morning, perhaps the parking lot is even fuller then than it is in the evening. I just know that my ability to use my local library has been severely curtailed by the elimination of evening hours.
I would also be willing to make a cash contribution to my library – in fact that’s why I voted for it in 1986.
Library hours were cut equally at all locations. Each library cut 2 days worth of evening hours and 2 days worth of morning hours, Monday through Thursday. The only libraries not affected were the three community libraries who didn’t have any evening or morning hours to cut.
I’m looking for a few, times however many library locations there are, people who have some time to give for 1 day at the end of April beginning of May. It won’t be hard work and will be fun. That means I’m looking for some fun and/or educated people who can give an hour or 3 or however many you have to give for 1 day only. Let’s educate the patrons who use the library about what their tax dollars at the BCC level and the Library Trustee level are being used for. Let us keep up the pressure on the BCC and their trusted Trustees. Let us put their feet to the fire once again. Post if you are interested and have time to give. We will make it fun while at the same time making it clear that we will not tolerate Obfuscation nor Hostility; NOT with our tax dollars.