EDITORIAL (Opinion): Vote ‘yes’ for library

Written by The Staff of The News
Friday, 30 October 2009 09:29

How to best allocate tax dollars presents many difficult choices in a city such as Bridgeport. Taxes are high here, and people often wonder what they get in return for all their hard-earned money.

The school system, in particular, frequently is criticized for spending a lot of money but providing a less than stellar system nonetheless. Of course, Bridgeport children generally come to school with many more socio-economic issues than their suburban counterparts. And most funding for education in Bridgeport comes from the state, not city taxpayers.

The Bridgeport Public Library is a service that many people use on a regular basis. On Nov. 3, Election Day, voters will get to decide in a referendum if they want one mill of their property taxes — or about $6.6 million — set aside exclusively for the library. The city’s current mill rate is 38.74.

If the measure passes, the city library budget during the current fiscal year would be $6.6 million instead of $4.8 million.

Critics claim that passage of the library budget referendum would increase taxes, and they are most likely correct. There’s only so many places to cut the municipal budget, and most of them have been found in the past few decades as the city has negotiated fiscal crisis after fiscal crisis.

But the library stands apart from other municipal services. Library systems, in many ways, are great equalizers. They provide people who have fewer resources with the things they need to improve their lives. They inspire people — especially children — to read and write and imagine and discover. They prepare people for careers. They bring neighborhoods together, building a sense of community.

Residents should vote “yes” on the referendum with the understanding it likely will cost them a few extra dollars a year.

Since the fiscal crisis of the late 1980s, the Bridgeport Public Library has seen its budget cut more than most municipal departments. It’s an easier target than the police or fire departments or Board of Education. The cuts have negatively impacted services and branch hours.

The city library also should look at instituting fees for certain services, especially for non-residents. For instance, perhaps DVD rentals should cost 25 or 50 cents each because this service is equivalent to a commercial enterprise. There are no businesses that loan books, and so people don’t expect to pay for that service, but businesses do loan DVDs, and people therefore are accustomed to paying a fee for that service.

New funds should not be used to increase library employee salaries beyond whatever increases other city employees receive, no matter what sacrifices they may have made in the recent past.

What is inherently unfair is that the neighborhoods most in need do not have the best library facilities. The East End and East Side facilities are rented storefronts. Meanwhile, the North End and Black Rock are served by excellent facilities, as is downtown and nearby areas.

If the library budget referendum passes, which many consider unlikely, the library board should look at building one permanent branch to serve both the East End and East Side. Two branches would be better, yes, but it may not be practical for the foreseeable future.

We also encourage people to use the libraries more. They don’t just loan books any more. Libraries offer Internet access, loan music CDs, and host children’s activities, adult lectures and art shows. Use them and help adequately fund them.