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Campaign for Prop 81 Gears Up
Librarians and library advocates across the state have organized a grassroots effort to pass Proposition 81, the $600 million library construction and renovation bond measure that will be on the ballot in June 2006.
The campaign steering committee, chaired by Solano County Librarian Ann Cousineau, has mobilized a system of regional and county coordinators to pass the measure. Advocates will be stressing the following key messages about the importance of approving the bond:
- Local libraries are in need. A needs assessment by the State Library has found that there are more than 500 public library projects needed in the next five years. Many communities have no local library, despite significant population growth.
- Libraries are safe places for children. We see this in libraries all over the state as children pour in to seek homework help, work on research projects, and study.
- The bond measure is not a tax increase. It is bonded with indebtedness the state repays over a number of years, but is not an increase to either property or sales tax. None of this funding can be used for local governments for administrative overhead.
- Local dollars for local services. The bond reduces the amount that cities, counties, and library districts need to devote to capital costs, thus increasing the amount of local dollars that can be used to fund operational programs including collection development, literacy, senior services, and children’s programming.
We need your help. The library bond measure will NOT simply pass on its merits. It will take the involvement of many people across the state. Please consider helping in the following ways:
- Give to the campaign, if you have not done so already. The campaign is still far short of its goal for the resources needed to effectively push for the measure.
- Hold a fundraiser in your area and invite other people to come and contribute to the campaign.
- Talk to your co-workers and ask that they also support the bond.
- Friends and foundations--urge these groups to make a contribution and to generate support for the bond.
- Secure endorsements from city councils, boards of supervisors, school boards and other local groups.
- And finally--Vote for Prop 81.
For more information on the campaign to pass Prop 81, please go to Yesforlibraries.com.
Posted on March 7, 2006 9:35 AM | Permalink