Sat, May 17 2008
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Published May 07, 2008 12:25 am - Lisa Wells and Ann Masters shouldn't have to go begging. But, as things are right now, they have to. Over t... Investment in library system necessary for county's success The Norman Transcript Lisa Wells and Ann Masters shouldn't have to go begging.
But, as things are right now, they have to. Over the past couple of months, Wells, Masters and others have spent a good portion of their time traveling across central Oklahoma, talking about the need to increase funding for the Pioneer Library System. For the record, Pioneer's system is funded by a millage draw from the county's ad valorem taxes. Pioneer, being a multi-county system, has branches in several cities spanning three different counties. The system is placed under a millage cap, which only allows Pioneer -- and a handful of other library systems across the state -- to tap a total of about six mills of ad valorem revenue for library funding. Right now, the Pioneer system is below that level. A vote is scheduled for May 13 to raise that millage to the maximum. So what's it gonna cost? According to Pioneer officials, the average cost for a family who owns a $100,000 home would pay an extra $7 per month; that investment, supporters of the increase say, would be about 25 cents per day for a new library building in Norman, an expanded materials collection and services to match. Yeah, seven bucks. The price of a large burger, fries and a drink. You'd think this would be a no brainer. Seriously, it was just more than a year ago that citizens in Moore voted to increase their sales tax to fund public safety improvements. A good idea that was well supported. The same can be said for Pioneer's proposal. Instead of tax "incentives" for millionaire sports team owners, or watching the expansion of yet another casino, county voters are being asked to support their library. And while the idea has its share of vocal critics, $7 a month for an expanded library system, more materials, and God forbid, enough money to run the system properly, is not too much to ask. 
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