Missouri River Regional Library seeks 10-cent levy increase

Ballot issue would raise levy 50 percent, bringing in $1.5 million a year

Missouri River Regional Library's main facility in Jefferson City Photo by Stephen Brooks.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

The Missouri River Regional Library is asking voters Tuesday to increase its revenue budget by nearly 50 percent to maintain staffing and services, as well as address building maintenance needs and add new programs.

The 10-cent levy increase, which would represent a 50 percent increase in the current 20-cent levy, would bring in $1.4 million to $1.5 million annually for the library. For the owner of a $100,000 home, property taxes would rise $20 a year.

“We decided on the 10-cent increase because we know it will help us meet our needs, and we will not be back asking voters for another five cents in just a few years,” said Tricia Schlechte, MRRL board treasurer and chairwoman of the ad hoc committee set up to study the levy issue.

Residents in Cole and Osage counties will independently vote on the levy increase. If the increase only passes in one county, the funds generated by the increase would only support the programs, facility and staff of that county’s library, officials said.

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RobHunterJohnson 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Vote yes! Rob

rodinman 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Vote NO. Way too much of an increase in funding. Make the cioty council and mayor budget for necessary items and get rid of funding the Chamber of Commerce (good ole boys).

JCsleeper 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Another month, another tax proposal.

gettingthere 9 months, 2 weeks ago

I disagree Rodinman, how does the city fund the library? Although I have read the entire article, I can't imagine why the city or chamber would have anything to do with the library financially speaking.

I plan to vote yes to this tax, because it is a service we utilitize almost daily. I have seen the conditions of the restrooms, experienced the abuse books, cd's and dvd's take at the hands of patrons.

Realtalk 9 months, 2 weeks ago

The library just got grants for this stuff right? Maybe they should make the people that use it more accountable.

Realtalk 9 months, 2 weeks ago

The library just got grant money, 2-3 months back. The people that use the library (not all) trash the place and all the stuff in it! Maybe they should charge a fee or charge more. I do not use the library so why should I have to pay? From what I hear there are jobs in the library with NO title that pay 30-60 k per year maybe more, Lets take a look at that and see how much they could save.

Realtalk 9 months, 2 weeks ago

I never said that it was under any control! I never said anything about fire dept.,schools, roads, those thing are needed and I have No prob. with being taxed for that. Schools have library's don't they? No, I was told by the .person who filled for the grant that it was several thousand dollars for new computers, and to"remodel the property" I think she said $78,000 and there are 3-4 diff. grants.

JCLifer 9 months, 2 weeks ago

I'm voting no.
This isn't the 1960s. Libraries are rapidly becoming an old relect with the growth of the world wide web.
The economy is bad. People cannot afford to pay more taxes for the old library when the roads are so rough and the sidewalks and gutters are so bad. Obamacare is going to cost us a lot more. Food gasoline utilities school taxes are all going up. The county is losing its rear on the jail. Pay has not increased. People are hurting. This tax increase makes about as much sense as paying someone $25,000.00 to develop a phone app or buying a trolley like they wanted for Transformation.

RobHunterJohnson 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Some of us went to the library, did you go to the Library when you were young? These kids need all avenues to an education, and a good public library is one of them. There is alot of families out there that cannot afford a computer at these low wages, and unemployment. a library is an access point for resources some cannot afford. Rob

Realtalk 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Isn't there FREE career centers for people to look for a job? From what im told( from someone who works there) 85% of the the people that come in for the free online service, watch youtube, facebook,etc. and do not use the library to better there education.

RobHunterJohnson 9 months, 2 weeks ago

I guess children use the career center? I went to the library weekly when I was in school in St Louis County. How about you? Rob

Realtalk 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Children have school, don't they have resources there? The point/fact is the library has just got ALOT of money from grants to make it a better place, now they are asking for more from people that are struggling. When will people wake up and see that these little "tax increases" are making things worse! Lets charge everyone that owns a house and work, pay for everything, that way people that don't want to work don't own a home can continue to get everything handed to them.

herekitty 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Move out of Missouri, taxes are too high....

RobHunterJohnson 9 months, 2 weeks ago

If they dont own a home, then they must be renters? Living with someone else? Ok, well then there may be freeloaders? Someone owns the property a renter pays the property tax for the Landlord or at least mine do. These kids need a resource such as a library, it needs to funded like everything else in civilized society. Now I am back on infrastructure, fire departments, road, bridges and so forth. I also agree that taxes need to be kept in check, but we have to fund the basics, some do not want to fund nothing, such as Mr Real talk, and others on this page. The Tea Party has dropped the ball in congress, in Missouri ect. They complain about low wages here in Jefferson City, the Republicans have control of your state House and Senate; Vote them out, there is more to it than just Babies and Guns, I am center on my thinking, I support the 2nd Amendment and many of the rights ideals, but until they show me that they are going to fix things, I have very little use for alot of this new found energy called The Tea Party. My generation which most of you belong to are trying to leave a Legacy of nothing, it is time to PONY up on things. Vote Yes on A Rob

eleanor 9 months, 2 weeks ago

The library in Linn is not a "relic"! They are always busy helping people on the computer (not everyone has internet in their homes). They hold very popular Storytime events for children all year, not just during school year. Crafts for kids, guest authors, also come. There are downloadable ebooks, and classes on how to download them. Some of our ladies are volunteers, NOT paid enormous salaries. I know things are all going up, but at least the library is worth it!! I am voting YES on A this Tuesday.

JCLifer 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Great, let people in Linn pay more taxes if they can afford it. Many people in Jeff city are barely getting by due to all the sales taxes and property taxes here and the extremely low wages. Our gasoline cost more . Our jobs pay barely squat. Our town is calling apart and we have so much violent crime from all the gangsters and thugs.

If you rich people want to pay more taxes to an old-fashioned library, there is nothing preventing you from writing out a check. You can pay all you want and they might put your picture up. But no this is really a lie. You want the poor people to pay for all this fancy stuff so you can drop your kids off instead of spending time with them or hiring one of my kids as a babysitter. This is a waste of money and you know it. Otherwise you would write out a big fat check and pay for it yourself.

RobHunterJohnson 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Thanks Eleanor! Rob

hudson 9 months, 2 weeks ago

NO !

PatsyDecline 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Love the library....but still voting NO....as is the other 2 registered voters in this house are also.

Looking forward to seeing all these tax increases go down in flames on Tuesday.

eleanor 9 months, 2 weeks ago

JCLifer: When did I become rich and not notice? I also don't "drop my kids off or hire yours for a sitter". I worked for the state for over thirty years and am retired on what they laughingly call a pension. Gas is the same price here as in Jeff, and we pay taxes also. Apparently you like to judge people you know nothing about.

gettingthere 9 months, 2 weeks ago

RobHunterJohnson: Have you seen the total of what the city "earns" in a year? Have you seen the individual budget totals for each department and what they are expected to spend on replacement equipment? I sure haven't. Nor have I heard from any city employee, namely the mayor or councilmember, stand up and say - the equipment needed to do this job takes this amount of money, and it takes this amount of money to staff people who can competently run this equipment.

If the authorities in their respectful departments, the mayor or council will honestly and justifibly say what needs to be said, I am sure our wonderful citizens would stand behind tax increases, just like they stood behind the expansion of the YMCA.

I will ask again...will you support a sales tax to fund Community Development? How about JCPD?

Lets get rid of property taxes altogether and fund this city on sales taxes!!!! Anyone and everyone who visits or resides in this great town will pay their fair share once and for all!!!

RobHunterJohnson 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Getting there has some good ideas! The Library and all needs to be funded Vote yes on A.. Rob

asb 9 months, 2 weeks ago

VOTE YES on A to keep a great regional library up-to-date.

JCLifer 9 months, 2 weeks ago

What are the specific plans for the additional money if they get it?

What programs can be cut if they don't get it?

No one has ever come out with answers to these simple questions. No wonder folks equate the library with city hall.

melbrooks 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Answers via a simple google search.

supportmrrl.org/?page_id=5#funding

The proponents have made presentations to just about every civic organization in Jefferson City.

libraryfan 9 months, 2 weeks ago

JCLifer - did you bother to attend any of the numerous community meetings that the committee put on all over the two county service area? In these meetings it was told exactly what the funds would be spent on. There is also a website that gives information.

And just for the record, the library is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of members from Jefferson City/Cole County and Osage County. 95% of funding comes from property tax. The City Council/County Commissions only appoint the Board members.

The grants recently received by the library were for specific projects - i.e. new computer monitors for patrons and to help defray the cost of the Library's highly successful Reading Buddies projects. Both of these grants were each under $5,000 and were funded by the Missouri State Library. There were news releases about both of these project in the New Tribune.

I urge you to go to the library and check it out...it's busy, its active, its part of what makes Jeff City great.

copcamaro 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Rob: How in the world did the TEA PARTY get in this discussion? Repubs and Demos have nothing to do with this issue. I have used the library several times in 7 years and my wife uses it frequently. I understand (please correct me if there is proof) people can go to library and watch pron flicks? I think this was dictated by government (not county) just my $.02 for what it's worth? I intend to vote NO!!!!!!!!!

libraryfan 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Cop...the library uses filtering software to block unacceptable sites. and to address the issue of the Osage Co funding, they do have their own taxes and if it fails there, that branch will not receive any increase in funding. The same holds true for Cole Co. thanks to everyone for learning about their library.

copcamaro 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Thank you Libraryfan: for the info. .

JCsleeper 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Great library. Over the years, new construction and increased property assessment valuations for the areas MMRL serves, have already been a tax increase. This has often surpassed inflation. Don't know of anyone who has had their property de-valued by the county assessors. As a result, MMRL and any entity receiving property tax dollars has seen healthy revenue increases. Check the chart in the full article regarding staff salaries and benefits. Oh, don't you wish? Sorry, but in these times of economic difficulties, should there be a 50% tax increase when many folks are barely s c r a p i n g by? Time for civic leaders to consider these things before rubber-stamping every tax suggestion. Another reason for young folks to leave. Oh, 's c r a p i n g' is not a bad word. The filter needs to grow up.

melbrooks 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Civic leaders aren't rubber-stamping--they are doing exactly what they should be doing, which is referring tax proposals to the voters for a decision.

It seems people are unhappy when they city council makes a decision without going to the voters (like the trash contract), and people are unhappy when they go to the voters (like these tax proposals.) Talk about your no-win situation.

Regarding costs vs. revenues:

supportmrrl.org/?page_id=5#money

By the same logic, the county as a whole experienced a tax decrease last year because less taxes were collected.

colecountycollector.org/annual.htm?cat=1

RobHunterJohnson 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Cop Camaro, I see it like this the TEA PARTY does not want to pay for nothing, it is clear with the pledge to Norquist. If someone is supporting this ideolgy then in my OPINION not wanting to fund basic items such as Libraries, Police, or Fire Department. I can assume you were a police officer by you posts, my grandson is a rookie this year at Sikeston Mo. He needs a Pension as much as you. The Tea party is planning on cutting alot, if I were you I would keep an eye on your retirement income. I worked on the cooling tower at the library building in the late 80s, do you know what heating and cooling equipment costs to maintain and operate these days? I guess they could throw alittle coal in the boiler over at the Carnige library next door, and while their at it throw a little coal under these Tea Party congressmen! VOTE YES ON A! Rob

copcamaro 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Mrob; My retirement has Not went up my cost of living has really went up in last 3.8 years so i have to do and make do! The services you mentioned, have and are being funded and need too trim down like we the citizen have too. I guess my vote this morning at 8:00 cancelles yours, sorry!!

RobHunterJohnson 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Cop Camaro sorry you have not recieved a COLA, just remember Sen Rand Paul(KY) introduced a big reduction budget in May 2012. The 5 year plan to clean it up, 16 of those Senators voted for it, it does not seem like anything, but it is a foot hold. If the We the People keep putting these Tea Party types in there we will get what we deserve, Google it Fed Budget 2012. your COLA will be the least of your worry. I sure tried to cancel your vote, I guess I needed a bus. Rob

JCLifer 9 months, 2 weeks ago

All you loyal library supporters are encouraged to write checks from your personal accounts to help the library. You do not need to have the government bill you. You are free to pay as much of your money as you want to the library.
Thank you for your generous support of our public library system.

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