Bad news re: local public libraries (Fairfax: layoffs, buy, school)

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Aren't the libraries funded by property taxes like the schools? Does that mean we're all paying a lot less of those? I haven't noticed.

My parents were bragging that they actually are paying less taxes now, after many years of tax hikes due to the housing bubble. I think up until last year they were paying about $3000/yr more than when they bought the house 11 1/2 years ago. I think the real question is how tax assessments can go up 140-150%, over 8 years, then stay flat for a short while, then when they go down 10-20%, and cause a panic.

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by DCNY

That is bad if we loose library on Saturday and Sunday. I take my kids on weekend activities most of the time. Why don't they take like $10 increase on property tax and give to library? Library are such an important part of a growing kid's life. They learn so much from going to library .. its very sad..

Why not just close the libraries on rotating schedules M-F as they do here in CA. The library closest to work is always closed on Fridays, Sat/Sun makes less sense, since that is when people, and kids have free time. Keeping the library open so 5 people can show up at 2pm on Wed, instead of keeping it open on Saturday so many people can show up doesn't make sense to me. The people suggesting closing times need to be more reasonable.

[EuroExpat]

Originally Posted by cardinal2007

Keeping the library open so 5 people can show up at 2pm on Wed, instead of keeping it open on Saturday so many people can show up doesn't make sense to me. The people suggesting closing times need to be more reasonable.

Ashburn LIbrary (in Loudoun County) is PACKED at 2pm. Actually it's packed most of the day.. I think it all depends on the demographics. Ashburn happens to have a lot of families and a lot of stay at home moms who go to the library when it opens at 10am and have all kinds of activities there during the day. When we lived in CA, out library in Mountain View was packed at night and it closed late (I think it opened late too). But the demographics were so different there.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by cardinal2007

Why not just close the libraries on rotating schedules M-F as they do here in CA..

We're not handcuffed by the likes of prop. 13 here and shouldn't have to accept the same sub-standard level of public services that Californians are forced to. Folks in the East value books and education a bit more than out West so this is of more importance to us. I don't think the library hours should be cut at all.

[Ashburnite]

This issue came up last year too, but never happened. I hope the proposal fails again.

[mzfroggez]

Whenever there are revenue shortfalls, the suggestions will generally involve cutting services that people value. It gets people to react and to generally accept tax increases/fees/or whatever simply to retain the level of service they are used to. Other "sacred cows" are school bus services (something that is not mandated by law), free or inexpensive parking at schools for students, extra-curricula activities, parks & rec...the list goes on. However, most people will demand the government "tighten its belt" and curtail other things/cut staff/frivilous spending/etc. It is a game, unfortunately. And while there is hot air on all sides of the argument, some realities do exist.

Prior spending that entailed debt, often in better times, requires that debt service be paid. So off of every local budget, the debt service money is encumbered. Federal and state mandates on everything from landfills, social services, judicial functions have to be met, often without funding from the feds which causes grief with the state government who then dump it on the local government. Most everyone demands a high level of service with quick delivery/turn around and they want it done for less. It's hard to have efficiency, effectiveness and speed all at a minimal price.

I'm not defending all local, state or federal funding. The size of government at all levels has become far too complex and too big to run well. There is waste but in reality when one is asked what should be cut, the answers are far too simplistic and generally unrealistic. Few people support cutting what they perceive benefits them - they are all to often glad to cut what they perceive doesn't. You have to pay your staff, you have to have adequate staff to perform functions and you have to allow for the unexpected, maintenance, the list goes on.

Not coming up with a many answers here but having been a citizen activist who felt I could do it better than those presently in power, I found out some hard truths when in the decision-making seat. I took a stab at seeing if the issues could be resolved from the senior staff end and found that there were limitations there as well. So I suppose we all need to come up with some ideas to solve the problems/people don't like to pay for what they believe they are entitled to but perhaps reasonable fees for library services and other wonderful things provided by government are the answer. (I know we all pay taxes and feel that is what that covers but if that money is committed to non-negotiables, what do you do?)

Please don't throw rocks - just my opinion. It's easy to critique/hard to find solutions and challenge the status quo. Need some innovators here!

[GreenGene]

Originally Posted by Ashburnite

This issue came up last year too, but never happened. I hope the proposal fails again.

It's true that the new budget for Fairfax won't be finalized until April. But cuts have already happened as a result of last year's budget. As stated in the article:

"Hours have been reduced, fees have been increased and hundreds of employees have been laid off. A third of its work force, mostly administrative assistants and pages, were let go during the last budget go-around."

In terms of the current proposal, it states "... the planned elimination of 30 of Fairfax's 54 full-time librarian positions was a sobering reminder of how deep next year's cuts will go."

I had no idea until I read this article that the Fairfax County Public Library System is the 6th largest in the country, while at the same time "... Fairfax is ranked last in the Washington area in library spending per capita."

I am stunned that such a large library system has only 54 full-time librarian positions, is considering reducing that number to 24, and spends less per capita in library spending than other jurisdictions in this area.

[Guamanians]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Local governments do that on purpose. They're not laying off the loads of faceless bureaucrats in the county administration buildings. They go for the most visible and painful first so you'll beg them to raise your taxes. There's a method to their madness.

Well I agree with you, but the method is BS. I say we should cut the fat (i.e. cops who sit behind a desk, extra construction workers, etc.) before we cut useful services. Whatever we do, we should say no to higher taxes!

[CAVA1990]

Gee, maybe if we didn't put half the population in prison, including way too many non-violent offenders, we'd have some money for other things. Perhaps the current policy of "no parole" should be revisited.

[Guamanians]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Gee, maybe if we didn't put half the population in prison, including way too many non-violent offenders, we'd have some money for other things. Perhaps the current policy of "no parole" should be revisited.

Agreed Our prison system is a joke