" Mr. Wetzel, they will tax and tax. Local, State, Federal, and the United Nations will tax us until death we part. "

" But, but....the kids! We've GOTTA do it for the kids dontcha know.

Oh, and by the way, any and all citizens who live in the Lake Land 9 county area can get a Lake Land library card FOR FREE!!!. If they don't have the material that you're looking for, you can order it from them and they will let you know when it comes in. That includes all those kids who may have to pay for the Mattoon library membership. Problem solved :D Now we don't need MORE TAXES!!!! "

" There's a real simple solution... it's called a match. "

" Their is an organization, that will put up all but 10 bucks or so, for any public library in the lakeland tax district, if a person can't afford one. This paper ran a few pieces on it over the last couple years.

Most school libraries are part of the lincoln trail system, and can order anything available they don't have. There are options, and no one ever need be underserved, with absolutely no changes.

The city controls their purse strings, and appoints their board. They raised their levy max annually, but failed to increase library funding this time.

This is seeming like the new schools, in many ways. Not sure how they can force this one down peoples throats, like they did the other situations, but I didn't see them coming either.

There are a number of possible or likely gotch yas, from this, only time will tell. Congratulations on going district, here is your outstanding debt, notice for asbestos hazards, or find a new building, this would make a better city hall, like the old post office makes a great school district office.

Their entire proposal is full of huge holes, and if they get freed, to any degree, they can annual max levy on their own, to their hearts content. "

" "I now live in the City of Mattoon and I have a membership in the Mattoon library; however, I also own some farm ground outside of the Mattoon city limits and if this Mattoon library referendum passes I will then have an additional tax every year from now on, on the farm ground which I have outside of the city limits as will anyone else who lives in Mattoon but owns a piece of property outside of the Mattoon city limits."

Key- you LIVE within city limits, If you own additional property outside of city limits, why shouldn't you pay like anyone else who owns property outside the city limits? You are fortunate enough to live one place, and own other property another. Many cannot afford to live in one place, perhaps you could help them? :)

It would be a much better world if people who have much more than they need help those who do not, instead of just building their empires. "

" More programs could be offered, at zero or low cost. We have two higher education facilities, all with students seeking experience at various levels of people skills and education presentation. Get with them, to coordinate a program, where guest presenters do story times, or other public presentations to various age groups. Open up a regular venue, for things like puppet shows, programs, and other opportunities, presented by volunteers and coordinated somewhat by folks in education departments at the local schools, or civic organizations. "

" With the internet there is no need for the library, I'm being taxed for something that is out dated, A utility hog, And I dont use it anyway The money could be used for improvements we really need.Time to put this wasteful relic to bed. "

" Hammbone I talked to Matt tonight Thank You again. "

" The library wants this money so they can expand services. At this time we should not be expanding services we should be looking at ways to cut back and save the tax payers money. VOTE NO ON TUESDAY. "

" The worst part of this is trying to shove cost to Moultrie County areas for the Mattoon Library. It is has been kept quite in hopes it will just push thru. "

" EDWIN WETZEL, Mattoon

On April 7, people who own real estate outside of the Mattoon city limits but within the Mattoon School District are going to be asked to vote on whether they want to be a part of the Mattoon library system.

If it is voted in then a piece of rural real estate tax having a value of $100,000 will start out with a real estate tax increase the first year of approximately $76. At the present time the Mattoon library charges people who live outside the city limits $45 per year in order to check out books at the Mattoon library. That seems fair to me.

If a rural resident uses the Mattoon library services then that person should be willing to pay the $45 fee for that year. I understand that if the library referendum passes, the library tax will be on every real estate tax bill in the Mattoon school district every year from now on.
--------------
Ed, Ed, Ed. If the library referendum passes, then the $45 fee will/should cease.

What about the people in town that own property for rental purposes? They pay extra taxes beyond their residents.
Most of the land you don't want to pay taxes on is farmland, No Inprovements on the land....The rental property, of course, have buildings.

If anyone complains it should be the rental owners against the (subsidized at that) farmers that don't pay taxes to the library on their farmland like the rental owners do.

Quit your b1tch1ng until you put EQUITY into your complaints; and not just for you, but for everyone on ALL taxes. "

" Becky wrote on Apr 2, 2009 3:38 PM:

" But, but....the kids! We've GOTTA do it for the kids dontcha know.

Oh, and by the way, any and all citizens who live in the Lake Land 9 county area can get a Lake Land library card FOR FREE!!!. If they don't have the material that you're looking for, you can order it from them and they will let you know when it comes in. That includes all those kids who may have to pay for the Mattoon library membership. Problem solved :D Now we don't need MORE TAXES!!!! "
-----------
Becky, Kids don't pay for the membership, their parents do.
No one should have to pay a library fee at Lake Land College...we pay taxes for Lake Land College.

EQUITY folks, Equity. "

" As someone wrote on one of these Libray blogs, Mattoon and Charleston Library tax rates are Max'd out.

So the referendum is NOT about a tax increase, but TAX EQUALITY. Rural residents are presently hiding behind a Library Loop Hole that they don't want to give up...Rural residency. "

" CHILL:

I get really tired of people expecting others to "support" their services. He is paying once, he shouldn't have to pay twice - perhaps the land is a small amount that he inherited, he makes no money off of and has to pay to keep........As money gets tighter, those of us who have been "helping" others may drop into the "need to be helped" category - and a much smaller list of people will be available to help the growing list of people asking for assistance. We need to help ourselves. "

" CHILL! wrote on Apr 3, 2009 2:39 PM:
It would be a much better world if people who have much more than they need help those who do not, instead of just building their empires. "

Wow, sounds like something Karl Marx would write! I'll bet you voted for Obama.

This referendum is nothing but a thinly veiled attempt to create another free spending taxing body. They are operating just fine with the funds they are receiving now. "But if we have more money we could do more!"

Who couldn't. Vote NO on the Library District. "

" I will be voting NO to anything or anybody that raises my taxes. Just like the incumbents in the city council race wanting to raise the sales tax here. No way Ervin and Hall are out!!NO DISTRICT HERE!! "

" If they make those who do not live in the city pay taxes for the library, are they going to change it so they can vote on issues involving the city? Things like city council members, sales taxes, or road work. "

" Not unless you live in the city....
If this thing passes by some miracle, it will no longer be a city library...that's the whole point. "

" JOEBLOW wrote on Apr 6, 2009 3:29 PM:

" I will be voting NO to anything or anybody that raises my taxes. Just like the incumbents in the city council race wanting to raise the sales tax here. No way Ervin and Hall are out!!NO DISTRICT HERE!!

I agree with you Joe. Let's hope enough other folks feel the same way and voted those two out today. Unfortunately a lot of people merely vote on name recognition, so those two probably stand a good chance of being voted back in.

If you remember just a few days ago, several people who responded to the JG-TC on line poll said they made their decision on who to vote for based on their yard signs. Given that mentality out there, it wouldn't surprise me to see those two big spenders returned. "

" Harry Potter wrote on Apr 7, 2009 4:41 PM:
"If you remember just a few days ago, several people who responded to the JG-TC on line poll said they made their decision on who to vote for based on their yard signs. Given that mentality out there, it wouldn't surprise me to see those two big spenders returned. "

Guess what Harry all of our worst dreams came true. People vote on the "pretty" signs and not the issues. What does that say about our city? "

" Yeah, it's pretty sad, jrhendren. But hopefully the big spenders saw the writing of the wall with the library initiatives. But given the past record of a couple of them, I doubt it. "