Posted: Saturday, April 26, 2008 12:00 am
DICK SADLER
Perspective
Almost every year the operators of the library go on bended knee to the county commissioners to seek operating expenses. The commissioners always generously come through and now the library has the temerity to seek funds to quadruple the size of the library.
This, of course, will cause the library to seek more funds for staff, maintenance, utilities, etc., as well as remove taxable property off the tax rolls.
Even with increased income from the state, property taxes, and sales taxes, I doubt the commission can handle the additional expense. They will soon have a new courthouse, detention center, possible parking garage, and hard telling what else to staff and maintain.
Quadruple the size of the library? No way. It isn't needed and it's just a glorious pipe dream of the board and staff. While the library may need some additional space, doubling the size would more than take care of their needs in the foreseeable future.
Let's look at their so-called needs. There are four areas that they request space for:
- Parking. Yes. They could use more parking but I would remind them that there is a largely unused parking garage just a block away.
- More public meeting space. Why? We have available meeting spaces for public use all over town. I'll list some, knowing full well there are many I've missed. There is space at the City Hall, County Annex, union halls, Casper College, most local schools, Agricultural Center, Fair Grounds, many motels, Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Game and Fish offices, local churches, Senior Center, Events Center, and UW Extension Center. It almost sounds as if the library's supporters have some ulterior motive in wanting more large, medium and small meeting rooms.
- Kids' programs. They may need some more room but not a quadrupling in size. Our kids have it pretty good in Natrona County with preschool programs, science center, Boys and Girls Clubs, almost all new schools equipped for high-tech study coming on board soon , YMCA, Aquatic Center, swimming pools, parks, skate park, ice rink, rec center, soccer fields, baseball fields, softball fields, 4-H programs, horse barn, FFA, scouts, choirs, art programs, circus, a fair, etc.
Before anyone thinks I'm anti-kids: I spent many years in scouting and Little League.
- Computer space and tech equipment. Sure, but with everything taken into consideration, a doubling in size will be more than enough.
If we double the space at the library, I think the taxpayers would be more than generous to the expansion idea and the whole thing can be done for $20 million. It could be done with the next 5th cent tax and not need to open the door on a 6th cent tax.
The 6th cent tax has been attempted on the ballot now three different times and has went down to a humiliating defeat all three times. The powers-that-be should realize two things. First, the public doesn't want a 6th cent tax. Second, the public is smart enough to know that once you open the door on a new tax, that door will never close. The politicians will see and lust for that 6th cent forever.
If you recall, when the last 5-cent gas tax was added to a gallon of gas, it was sold by the Legislature as a temporary tax and it was soon made permanent. Not only did they shaft you then, but now the Department of Transportation and some of their lackey legislators want to increase the gas tax another 10 cents. Don't open the door on the sixth-cent.
We have used the 5th cent tax over the years to build all kinds of fluff and wants instead of needs, some great and some white elephants. I would suggest that when 5th cent No. 14 comes up again in two years, we take what's needed for a reasonable library and use the rest for city and county infrastructure.
If as many people support a new library as we are told, the library could and should take priority over the discretionary funds available for each 5th cent project. Any other "want" projects can wait.
Right now the 5th cent brings in an average of $1.6 million a month in Natrona County. That's $76.8 million over the life of the No. 14 5th cent tax frame. Use (an estimated) $20 million for a library and that leaves over $50 million for the cities and Natrona County.
The following headlines have appeared in the Star-Tribune in the last couple of weeks. Read them and ask yourself if this is the time to raise taxes: Credit woes hit Casper College. Inflation rates surge in Wyoming. 2007 inflation rate 6.1 percent, some areas 8 percent. Bad economic news expected to pick up. First quarter was a real downer. Nic seeks funding cushion. Income gap widens. Detention facility put on hold. Gas prices over $4 a gallon. Food prices skyrocket. Rents rise in housing crisis. Senior retirement income declines due to poor economic conditions.
Anti-library? Nope. My wife and I wore out a lot of shoe leather some 40 years ago in the outlying county areas getting a bond passed for the current library.
Build a library, but do it right. Don't overbuild it and do it with the 5th cent, not a 6th cent. A slight wait won't hurt and might save money. Better planning might save the usual cost overruns and the recession will probably lower construction costs.
Dick Sadler of Casper served Natrona County for 17 years in the Wyoming Senate and House. He describes himself as a social liberal and fiscal conservative.