A divided Board of Supervisors has agreed not to raise real estate taxes, Brandon Shulleeta reports for the Progress. Although they haven’t set the rate, they have agreed to advertise a rate of 74.2¢, and in doing so they set a ceiling that they are not permitted to exceed.
Last year, Republican Duane Snow was part of the four-man majority that prevented the advertisement of a higher rate, but this year he switched sides, joining Ann Mallek and Dennis Rooker in wanting to advertise a 75.2¢ rate. With the remaining three members of the BoS refusing to compromise, the unlikely trio backed down. Snow pointed to low construction costs, saying that now is the time for the county to build the new library in Crozet, and to the state’s offer to match transportation construction funds, saying that we should put money towards improving roads.
By the county’s math, the decreased property assessments should leave most people paying $36 less in property taxes, assuming that the 74.2¢ rate becomes law. They’ll have a hearing about it in a couple of weeks.
We’re THAT close to a real Board of Supervisors – one that cares about the County’s future, rather than getting re-elected. Now if we just had a five or seven-member BOS, this deadlock would be avoided (one way of the other).
Kudos to Duane Snow for enlightened thinking, as well as to perennial clear-headed thinkers Mallek and Rooker.
Hopefully they’ll find a way to fund the construction of the new Crozet Library.
In the wake of tech advances what does the modern library look like? Can it have a big internet room with the ability to lend out iPads? From what I’ve seen this is just old school library. Perhaps it should be more of a community center-what about just using the schools and their meeting rooms/libraries?
I fear that Crozet is demanding a library for the last century not this one- should we be subsiding people who don’t want to pay for NY Times best sellers in fiction? Is that the best use of government money to allow people to borrow books that they could be buying. The library of the 2000’s should be different then it was 50 years ago. Would it be cheaper lend e-readers and give everyone a credit for e-books
Looking at this as an anchor for development for the downtown belies the true engine that the lumber yard property can be once it’s developed. Downtown been doing quite will without a new library (in terms of development) and even if one isn’t built DT Crozet will keep moving forward.
JMRL it would be most interesting to see what the library lends out the most. If I had to guess it would be best sellers and kid literature. While lending out kid literature seems like a fine use of public money providing free rental copies of latest book by Sarah Palin seems less so.
Could we have a library that has just internet (wireless and desktops), kid lit, references and periodicals? What if asked people to donate their best sellers after they read them and give them a tax credit?
In this time of fiscal restraint the case for building the library today seems more of a political want the a community must have- like roads, water or schools.
That would be a terrible idea, if you actually wanted people to have access to very many books. Coincidentally, I wrote a long-ish blog entry on this very topic just yesterday.
What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense to me. The purpose of a library is to lend to people things that they cannot, should not, or will not pay for. That’s no different with your proposal to lend e-readers exclusively. You’re not opposed to “old school” libraries—I think you’re just opposed to the very concept of libraries.
It’s absolutely true that it’s time to rethink the library—what its role is, what need it should fill, and how it should change with the times. But I think that the premise of your thinking—that it shouldn’t lend stuff to people—is wrong.
I never said don’t lend anything. I clearly favor lending out books to kids and providing periodicals, reference materials and even e-readers. To reduce what I wrote to just say “don’t lend stuff” is just a knee jerk reaction. And to say I’m opposed to libraries is just wrong and prejudicial. It easy to dismiss someone who doesn’t believe in libraries (especially on this blog).
Is Albemarle County best served by spending tax dollars on every new book on the best seller list? If so why or if not, why not? What books should Albemarle pay for? Is it worth spending millions on a new building and books so people never have to buy the Twilight series for free?
Does this library have to be built now? What horrors will occur if we wait till the economy improves. Across the county we watch teachers fired, services cut, and the basic governmental functions in crisis in countless communities. Is it really too much to rational reconsider the use of public funds more prudentially.
Part of re-thinking the lending library (not the collection libraries you mention on your other blog) is to be upfront about how the modern library is used and and which of those functions are best subsidized by tax dollars.
To get a sense of the discussions, you might consider reading coverage at Charlottesville Tomorrow and perhaps listening to a few podcasts of the meetings.
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Of particular note is the work session from early February where the library agreement was the topic. We don’t have a timeline for that one, but we provided ones for the budget works sessions so people could navigate to what they wanted to hear.
Sean Tubbs
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Well, that didn’t work. Here’s the correct link.
Waldo, county mountie is right; you’re so “prejudicial!”
Of course not over this topic but because you didn’t post the most important story to everyone in the State of Virginia (except those who live in Charlottesville or Blacksburg): the NCAA tourney committee inviting JMU, VCU, GMU, RU, and HU!
*UR
ODU, not JMU. If you’re going to taunt, please get it right!
Congrats to the Spiders on their win yesterday.
True Stormy; there were just so many schools from Virginia that got invited I got a little ahead of myslef.
But do “You guys think Jay Bilas watched that game?”