" Per City Data:
http://tinyurl.com/9rbcps

Mattoon Township: Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $104,927

Lafayette Township: Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $173,923

I love how the $41.50 is based on a home property value of $60,000 so that it doesn't exceed the current $45.00 it to get an out of district library card. If you are going to throw numbers out there at least do some research. There maybe half a dozen properties that are $60,000 or less. I don't see anything wrong with the current system of paying $45 for a card and services if you intend to use it. Most of us in these township districts already have computers and internet and don't need the use of printed media. You need to show us what services you are going to wow us with before you try to take more money from us. The school district and LakeLand increases are going to be hard enough on most of us in the current recession. "

" Here's an idea. Sell the library back to the Carnegie's and lease it back for a buck a year. In the meantime, there's Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble and all the video places in town. "

" Am I understanding correctly, that this is an all or nothing pass fail referendum?

Now we get a clearer partial accounting. From just two seperate tax levies, they take in just short of 1 million a year. They feel this is due a substancial increase. Here is more me mine ours elitist business plans in motion. Evidently the expenses they have, aren't the kind they feel is necessary to keep a tight handle on.

It is likely this issue may need to get many rural voters to the polls, to oppose it. City voters, should consider if the shoe were on the other foot, would they want another tax body expansion, forced upon them. The board acknowledges many folks can't afford the $45 fee, but feel a forced 41 dollar minimum fee to everyone, is an acceptable solution to that. How out of touch is this thought process. With a bigger base, they can max levy and take their tax contributions well over a million dollars a year, in no time. They aren't looking to get more library card holders, just more peoples pockets to dig as deep as they can in.

This is just more of the same, do as they please thinking in government. Boards should tighten their belts, and ease burdens on taxpayers as much as possible, is a sentiment that falls completely on deaf out of touch ears. This is a reflection of wide spread ways of thinking held by local leaders.

One more of the many boards, that feel they are more important than the people they tax. Do as they please, and let taxpayers cover every dime of it. Is the library really a million tax dollars a year, effectively ran entity? "

" Here's an idea, we don't you three just shut your traps and vote no? "

" I'd still like to have an answer to a question I asked earlier about this issue, a question which Ryan ignored by the way: How many out of district $45 fees were collected in 2008?

The answer to this question will answer another question regarding this referendum: Is it really necessary to scheme up an expanded taxing district for the library if there aren't at least 3,667 out-of-distict users paying $45 each right now?

Just a gut feel, but I'm thinking this referendum is bound for a dismal failure.

And while I'm waiting for an answer to this question, here's another. What benefit is it to taxpayers for the library to have fiscal autonomy? Is that another way for library officials to create yet another "bureaucratic fiefdom"? "

" Yes, getting details clarified is terrifying, for folks who have reason to fear.

Perhaps we also need a good close look taken at the libraries accounting books. How much are folks getting paid, what are major expenses going to?

A million a year, to run a library in a town this size, seems a bit extravagant. How many separate card holders, used the library last year? If all 19000, (estimated population) used the library, that comes to 52.63 per person already. Thats not per household. This is just the two tax levies, equalling near a million dollars. Donations, and other income, goes above that. What kind of operation is needing to hit the rest of the school district, and two townships in moultrie county, to further fund their needs.

Is there a zero tax levy increase promise, for 20 years, if this were to pass? What was the levy this year, and last? I must have missed it, in the surprize of 19% from the Lake Land board. "

" vakyin wrote on Jan 6, 2009 7:02 AM:

"Here's an idea, we don't you three just shut your traps and vote no?"

.......

Ruh Roh!
Another self-appointed forum monitor.
LOL! "

" fished from the archives...

October 7, 2008
Section: Features
Page: b3
Memo: Published in the Journal Gazette and Times-Courier




Program help to provide low-cost library cards for rural residents
Each fall during Library Card Sign-up Month, the American Library Association and libraries across the country remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all.


It is a little known fact that in most parts of Illinois, residents and property owners in incorporated areas don't pay for a library card up front, but they pay a tax, as part of their local property tax, for library use.

However, taxes paid by people who live outside of a library taxing area (usually rural residents) do not cover library services. Therefore, these "non-residents" are asked to pay a fee that is based on the average tax when they apply for a family library membership.

For some families, this fee (anywhere from $25 to more than $50 in this part of Illinois) may be unaffordable. According to a recent survey, about 250 area non-residents each year decide that they cannot afford the fee to use their local library.

But help is available.

Through Readers' Bridge, a non-profit corporation, low-income, rural families in the Lake Land Collage district are now able to enjoy the books, magazines, videos and programs of their closest library without having to pay the full non-resident library fee.

Since Readers' Bridge began operations in 2003, non-residents who meet the qualifications have to pay only 10 percent of the annual membership fee, and Readers' Bridge will cover the remaining 90 percent.

The Readers' Bridge board was able to expand their program to coincide with the Lake Land Collage district boundaries with the help of donations from charitable foundations, businesses, civic organizations and individual donors.

One of the recent contributors to Readers' Bridge was the Exchange Club of Mattoon. Max Jaeger, former president of the club, said, "The Readers' Bridge project fits into one of our club's major objectives, which is to assist with community needs. Also, since many of the families being served have children, it also fits in with our mission to help youth. The members of Exchange wanted to help families needing library access."

Readers' Bridge has also received a generous contribution from the Lumpkin Family Foundation. Bruce Karmazin, executive director of the Lumpkin Family Foundation, noted, "The Lumpkin family has been providing support to libraries across the region for many years, and our contribution is just a small attempt to try filling a significant gap in library services for those in need."

Amanda Standerfer, director of the Helen Matthes Library in Effingham, said, "I think the Readers' Bridge program will help bring books to area patrons that need them the most. The people that will benefit could be some who are struggling to bring themselves to a higher standard of living, and library access might help open those doors for them. "

" vakyin, not allowing the opposition to voice their opinions or, in your words, "shut your traps" is one way to win the argument.

As things sit right now the non-residents that use the library pay for the services. Those that don't use it do not pay. Sounds like a very reasonable plan.

Using the figures given by Mr. Meeker and the Estimated Median Values given by voltaire we get very different figures. The Median homes in Mattoon Township would pay an extra $75.57 a year while those in Lafayette Township would pay $120.30 a year more. Both figures far exceed Mr. Meeker's $41.50. Talk about putting the "spin" on the data!

By using misleading information the Library Board wants to pull a fast one on the public. Let those that use the library pay for it. Why not raise the fee to $100.00?

Vote "NO" on this referendum. "

" With the ecnnamy down they want more money ? someone wake them up to the real world. "

" Like you, I get sick and tired of these self appointed monitors, Rotty. "

" Amen, HP.
Even if their comments, on the main subject, are pro/con or good/bad, the newbs sure love to dive in for all it's worth sometimes.
When will they ever learn....
LOL "

" Dear Mike P and Ginga,

You can get your questions answered. That is what the Freedom of Information Act is for. Come into the library, fill out a request, and you will get your full answer to your questions.

And this figure of a million dollars is floating around like the balloon it is. The library is not asking for a million dollars, far from it. The $650,00O number comes from the approximately 5000 citizens in the new service area. The decision to create a library district was not a spur of the moment decision. This plan has been in the works since the last director was in my shoes. That is over a year ago. Then gas had not sky rocketed, home foreclosure was not wide spread in the news papers, and people were not asking for bailouts.

The library has cut its spending and has stretched their money for the last few years. I also like Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, and all the video places in Mattoon, but those places require cash up front. The library also carries things you can not get on a moments notice at Waldens or Wal-Mart, such as school text books for when your son/daughter has a homework assignment and accidentally left theirs in their desk/locker.

Since everyone seems fond of numbers, here are some new ones for you.

Last calendar year, the library public computers were used 29,633 times.

The library ranks 6th in the number of items leaving this building (according to LTLS) behind such biggies as Champaign, Urbana, and Danville. Charleston is 9th.

As if today the library owns 57,461 items.

In the 2008 calendar year the library added 1203 library patrons to our records. That is about 23 new patrons per week. "

" ryan the librarian, just how much expansion are you planning on doing? Adding $650,000 to your budget will give you a lot of "extra" cash.

Are you trying to tell the public the Library needs an additional $650,000 to meet its expenses?

If you add all of Cumberland County to your "District" you could clear another million or two. These additional funds are not justifiable and they are excessive. Is it too much to expect for you to operate within your budget?

Vote "NO" on this referendum. "

" If you want the people to vote for this you shouldn't make them fill out a FOIA to get some legitimate questions answered. You might serve yourself better to volunteer the information. Perhaps you are trying to hide something. Like that it will cost the average property owner in the township an extra $120 + for services that they can currently get for $75 if they choose to get a library card. Which by the way is $50 more that Mattoon residents pay on average. The per capita for 2005 was $25.09. Here is the 2005 report: http://tinyurl.com/8j73ya
Apparently you were $12,000 under budget. Maybe you should instead look at ways to save money instead of just asking for more. "

" Since Miss Ryan is so secretive with her precious library data. Here is the most recent circulation, income, expenditure and tax stats from 2005 - 2006 for you data junkies. It seems that Mattoon is about average for its population.

Mattoon only: http://tinyurl.com/7sezdw
All libraries: http://tinyurl.com/7fhod4 "

" Some of the confusion may be due to wording, and this paper. Now the date of the article is newer than half the comments, so its hard telling what they changed, didn't, removed or added, if anything, as I go back through it.

From what I understood from the two articles, expanding out of city limits will give you 165k more than the 500k you collect from in town taxes. The city provides a seperate levy of 422k.

The information as it was presented, suggested there are two levies, 500k and 422k, which equal 922k close to a million. If I read it wrong, or understood it wrong, clarification is all I wanted.

What is the total net income? I am not opposed to the library. If its actually running on streatched thin dollars, I agree we need to find a way to boost funding that works for everyone. This cat and mouse explained levy expansion, probably isn't it. If true need can be demonstrated, pretend some of us aren't easily gullable, and be honest. Several users have the ability to verify facts rather handily. If it gets balloted, and there seems to be some deceit in any part of the selling of it, future good will may likely be compromised for some time. This may well be an all or nothing, for years proposal, just keep that in mind.

This news paper, needs to file FOIA's out the wazoo, but given some of the reportings clarity, short of scanning and running things line by line. We can't really be sure, if they had hard information, they would understand and be able to compile it coherently to tell what it represents. Bottle fed news, has them complacent, and building a story from scratch, would likely cause a melt down. "

" The new library head, took over around 6 months ago. This proposal was worked out, prior to her relocating here.

From what I can put together, Arcola expanded their district, already. The smell of more tax revenue prevailed south, and Mattoon began pushing this early last year at least.

For one thing, the Mattoon library and Arcola's, are not comparable in any way except they both likely have books. Coles and Douglas counties, aren't quite comparable in many categories either. This is a they did it we should too move, based on broad comparisons of apples and oranges.

It smacks of greed, and the early reports pushed the notion, if they don't get this expansion, steep cuts will fall to services and even operating hours. So more of the sympathy plea, might still be in the plans for swaying votes.

I noted the article of available fee assistance, so people not being able to afford to use the library, should probably be a non issue. Some people likely know how often they would likely use the library, and a yearly toll of 45 dollars is steep, for something they might only use a few times a year. I am not paying that much, is not the same as I can't.

This issue might get more voters to the polls, to head it off and that could help remove status quoe folks in other boards and councils. After the mele of but its only 20 more dollars tax levy increases, the timing probably couldn't be worse for an expansion / tax increase, even if it were the most dire circumstances that inspired this proposal.

Good will, will run kind of low, since nearly every taxing body, felt max balloon levies and substancial revenue increases were there due yet again. Now taxing bodies are entitlement programs, they can give them selves raises and tax and spend till the cows come home.

Thanks for adding an issue that will get voters to the polls. Only if these boards are swept clean, will this way of thinking have a good chance to begin to subside. The more informed voters that go to the polls, the more likely things are to begin to change. "

" Ryan, I asked two very simple questions - and you respond with the FOIA!? Lady, as far as I'm concerned, you just cooked your proverbial goose!

All you had to do is tell me how many out of district $45 fees you collected in 2008 and why it matters that the library be granted "fiscal autonomy". Both are fair and reasonable questions. In fact, when you're dealing with taxpayer funding, there are no unfair and unreasonable questions. Get used to it.

My advice: either answer the questions in a civil manner, or update your resume. "

" My advice: either answer the questions in a civil manner, or...........

Should we add your name to the list of monitor wannabes, gringa? lol...

I didn't care for her comments either, but I think suggesting how she should comment might be a bit much, don't you think? "

" Dear readers,

I want to be honest with you. First off we are in the last third of our fiscal year. If I pull numbers right now they will not accurately represent what is happening in terms of circulation. Every month for the board meeting we pull numbers for the month and compare that to last years for the same month. I have the 2007/8 numbers but I have to look them up just like anyone else. Numbers that are published online are 2 to 3 years out of date.

The City of Mattoon levies a tax for the library that they can change any year they need the funds some where else. Currently that rate is .23 and will be for 2009/10 year. Our tax levy is approximately $420,000 of which we receive a little over $405,000. Our estimated total budget for the fiscal year when we include grants, replacement funds, charges for services, and donations is about $500,000. I say estimated budget because we only have educated guesses at the amounts to be donated based on the numbers from the year before, we know what grants we applied for and think we will get, but grant money is running short as well as foundations fold. We do not want to ADD $650,000 to our budget, our tax levy would TOTAL $650,000. This a $230,000 increase in budget.

We currently have 10 staff members including myself. We have 2 desks that must be staffed at all times. The staff members pull double and some pull triple duties. In 2000/2001 statistics that were put up the MPL had 16 full time equivalent employees (FTE means that there may be many part time staff but if all their hours were added together it would equal 16 full time people). Our FTE is 8.75, 8 full time staff members and 2 part time staff members who do not work enough to equal a full time staff member. This means that if a staff member goes on vacation or has a sick day we are short staffed for the time that they are gone and other work does not get done.

We have around 6000 active library cards and another 5500 non-active cards. A non-active card is one that has expired, or has a high fine that disallows a patron from using it. Non-Resident cards account for 10% of the active cards, and 17% of non-active cards.

I am trying to give you simple answers to simple questions. The reason that I request FOIA is to have time to get the correct answers and look at things thoroughly. It takes time to run numbers especially when other libraries are running them at the same time on the same system. I also ask for FOIA because I am required to ask. I am not trying to upset anyone or cook my proverbial goose, but be as honest with the public as I can be. I do not use sarcasm, I do not get mad at individuals for asking legitimate questions, made snide comments on peoples grammar, and I do not call people names.

I will say that I have said multiple times to drop by and see me, call me, or send an email. If you want better information have a real conversation with myself, or any members of the library board. We will provide information to the best of our ability at any given time which is all anyone can do.

Once again, contact information

Phone: 234-2621
Text: 217-502-9885
Email: ryan@mattoonlibrary.org
Address: 1600 Charleston Ave "

" Bravo Gringa, I saw no answers to your very good questions. As an "out of city limits" person I too would like to hear how many $45 out of town cards were issued last year. Also, is that $45 per person in the family wanting a card or for the family? So in my township, I guess I will pay about S120 per year to use a library that rarely has what I want. Unless they can "wow" me with services, as another poster noted, I will be voting NO! Would like to see an answer to the questions asked! "

" That is a much clearer picture than the reporter was evidently capable of conveying.

A few more things might be clarified a little further.

I completely see the thought process of seeking a separation from the city. There is no question that is not a hospitable environment to be tied to. It's still likely not to pass as it is proposed. Not to mention, once liberated, we may have yet another tax body that feels max levy under PTELL is their annual due.

The fact besides autonomy, your seeking a 50% budget increase, isn't sounding real budget conscious, out of the gate.

Its a pickle.

Look into how TIF is directly impacting your botom line. Of every dollar that isn't being taxed properly, portions of it, arent going to things like libraries. The more they expand the use, the smaller the pool of taxes will get. Search Illinois TIF taxpayers, and see some of the many issues it sneaks in with it.

Tighten the belt, and weather the storm. This proposal is not timed or designed well. "

" Hey, wait a minute, HP! You're trying to get me to say "Yes, I don't think", aren't you? (HP: "I think suggesting how she should comment might be a bit much, don't you think?") LOL!

Look, she can comment in any way she wants, but that doesn't mean I have to accept her comment with open arms. All I wanted to know was exactly how many out of district library users paid the $45 fee. Seems simple enough.

Did you notice, though, that her answer is kind of hidden in the stats she did offer? I guess if you do the math, the library has about 1,500 non-resident card holders (active and inactive). That's far short of the $165,000 the library folks are trying to justify within this upcoming referendum. So, it sounds as if the non-resident card revenue is currently around $67,000 per year - but in effect, the library board wants to kick that number up to $165,000.

As to Ryan's earlier comment (Jan 6, 2009 4:41 PM) that "The library has cut its spending and has stretched their (sic) money for the last few years." - all I can say is I have even more questions. Exactly how much spending has been cut and exactly how has the money been stretched for the last few years?

I was just joking at the time I said this earlier, but do you suppose it really would be possible to sell this library back to the Carnagie's and lease it back for a buck a year? Might be worth a try. "

" ryan the librarian, during tough economic times almost all companies look for ways to cut costs and to "tighten the belt". However it seems the Mattoon Public Library seeks to expand and "spend its way out of this depression" the same way the Mattoon City Council seems to be doing.

It is in the best interest of every voter to vote "NO" to this referendum. "

" All I really want to know is If someone out of district can currently get a card for $45, Why would they want to pay over $100 to use the exact same services, The $100+ based on the actual EAV of the township, not the $60K number presented by the board? Also depending on the amount the library levies and the EAV of the townships this could in fact raise the library tax for citizens inside current city limits? What added services are you going to offer for th 50% increase in your budget. I suppose I need a FOIA to get any answers. 50% more? You must be crazy. "

" Voltaire--cost effective-wise, $45 is great bargain, especially for farmers, which is why these things seldom pass. Charleston had an expansion referendum several years ago and it bombed.

While it would be good to be out from under the city, won't the library then need to pay for its own health insurance, bookkeeping, and other related personnel costs that it currently gets discounts for under the city? If I remember correctly, several years ago the city took over the library's bond payments. All of that will eat through the new income. "

" Charleston had an expansion referendum several years ago and it bombed.

It bombed?

That bomb cost the good folks of Charleston over 7 million dollars. Some bomb! "

" Dear Ryan the librarian,

You have given the Three Amigos answers to many of their questions all in good faith. Please understand that they rarely act in the same manner or regard. Any data or answer that you try to give will be met with comtempt, sarcasm, disbelief,or another rambling diatribe. You have given them your contact info twice. If they truly want to discuss the issue in a productive manner, they can do so.

Remember the old adage, "Never try to teach a pig to sing. You waste your time and you just annoy the pig" "

" TPC.... another self-appointed monitor?

"When a woman tells the truth she is creating the possibility for more truth around her."

-Adrienne Rich "

" Three Pig Circus,

We have in fact never gotten answers to some important questions. The benefit of posting in a public forum is that the information is there for everyone to draw there own conclusions. It is not like Miss Ryan does not know we are asking the questions. She has already engaged all of us in debate. I would think that since everyone in the Unit 2 school district is effected by this that more than just us "Amigos" are interested in these questions. So far all we have gotten is a spin on numbers and since you want to speak pig, I believe the correct analogy here is
"You can lipstick on a pig, you still have a pig." "

" HP...I don't mean the building referendum. They held a referendum a number of years ago to incorporate some additional townships, and it bombed. "

" Ryan did quite well clearing some confusion, this papers reportings left unclear. I appreciate her responses. She did inherit a bit of a mess, and this proposal, she deffinately has her work cut out for her.

This is a public comments forum. Some questions get raised rhetoricly. Many local boards actions, seen to be based on partial information, and look for the pro, ignore the con, research. Some might just be, they like the way it sounds, and they would have reason to say it more, if they passed it. Indepth research, discussion, and evaluation, aren't a regular obvious part of the decision making process.

With that being said, the Library board, has been kicking this notion around for around a year. They should have run through precisely what this was, forwards and backwards a couple of times by now. There is no reason they could possibly convince anyone of, for them not understanding fully what their proposal, was asking of voters. Evidently, they just hoped save the poor library, would win and curiosity wouldn't get to crunching numbers, until the first new tax bills rolled out, and its too late. Takesie backsies, can usually only come from the government end of referendums, evidently.

My suggestion, do like Charleston did with the Home Rule question. Don't put it on this ballot. Get inside this thing, restructure it and make it affordable. Stand up to TIF. Its costing the library money, as well as all its costing taxpayers. The library is worth investing in. This proposal as its structured isn't like to sit well under any circumstances. It especially will not under current ones. "

" Add the Three Pig Circus to the growing list of monitor wannabes.

I guess all of these folks must be out of work, huh Rotty. "

" By the looks of today's front page 16 more area families will be unable to pay this new Library district tax if the referendum goes through.

This library district is a bad idea and when the chance comes up vote "NO". "

" They must be HP.
I guess we atleast bring the local rag more business.
LOL "

" OK, I give up. Not having any straightforward answers to several simple questions makes this referundem a dead horse. Go ahead and beat on it if you wish, Miss Piggy, but we're done here. "

" Ryan,

See, I told you. I rest my case! "

" I have a better idea.

I am tired of my taxes going up. I don't use the library, so why should I pay for it. How about you increase the cost of library cards so those who use the library pay for the library?

Oh, that's too simple, huh?

You have any TVs at the library? Turn on CNN or Fox News and see how the economy is doing. Why should we continually pay more and more?

Futhermore, aren't these taxes a percentage? If more people move to the area, there are more people using the library, and more revenue is generated for the increased services.

Keep your greedy hands out of my pocketbook and adjust. How about you cut the hours of the library? Maybe hire cheap, unskilled labor? Maybe turn the thermometer down a notch?

This is not the time to increase taxes. "

" This is not the time to increase taxes. "

Darn right, and it must be contagious. I see Charleston is pulling the same scam and it's being sold as an attempt to serve the area better too. "

" I don't use the fire department either, but they make me pay for it. "

" vakyin, Your point is not a new one. Until you need a service it appears to be a waste of money to pay for it. However if your house catches on fire it is too late to pay for a fire truck. If the County residents, those outside Mattoon City Limits, want to check a book out they can pay for a non-resident card at that time. This entire referendum, and Charleston Library's referendum are nothing more than a grab for cash.

Should they want to expand the library would be nice to have this money. If I want to heat my house this winter it would be nice to have the money to do it. Both libraries are having problems showing they NEED this money. They just want MORE money than they are currently getting.

How do you spell GREED? L-I-B-R-A-R-Y D-I-S-T-R-I-C-T

Take a stand on excessive taxation, vote "NO" on this referendum. "

" Well said, HP & OG! "