It’s time for Gilroy to build a new library, and the $37 million
bond on the November ballot will do just that. We recommend a yes
vote on city Measure F which will fund construction as well as some
of the equipment inside.
1. The current library is dreadfully overcrowded and antiquated
It’s time for Gilroy to build a new library, and the $37 million bond on the November ballot will do just that. We recommend a yes vote on city Measure F which will fund construction as well as some of the equipment inside.
For the next 30 years the library bond will cost Gilroy property tax payers $33 per $100,000 of assessed valuation or approximately $140 every year. It’s a wise investment.
Our library is, and has been, dreadfully overcrowded. The current structure is 12,500 square feet and the new library, built to accommodate the community’s needs into the 2030s, will be a two-story 53,500 square foot building at the same location. You can peruse the elements of the plan at the Web site library4gilroy.com.
2. The plan calls for a whopping increase in the library’s collection
Suffice to say that the library’s collection will grow by leaps and bounds to 266,000 items, that seating will increase tremendously and that there will be space for community meetings as well as more computer areas.
We would be remiss if we failed to mention the community issue of access to pornography by minors on the library’s computers. The joint powers authority which operates the library would have been wise to implement a “tap-on-the-shoulder” policy when librarians witness such a breech of conduct.
3. Bond will need every vote since it requires a two-thirds majority to pass
That said, it’s not an issue that should dominate this election.
A good library is a critical community asset, especially in light of the constant struggle schools are having with their budgets. A new library which can be far better organized will attract new patrons and become not only a source for knowledge but a source of community pride.
The library measure will need every vote since it requires a two-thirds majority to pass.
Our suggestion, generally, when deciding on bond and tax measures on the ballot is this: the further away the money gets, the less accountability there is.
This is a local bond with a local benefit and that beats, for example, the bullet train with flying colors. Invest in your community, make a smart ballot choice, vote Yes on Measure F.
