Libraries: Creating Benefit Assessment Districts

Right now, cities all over the state are debating the establishment of benefit assessment districts for county libraries. It would drop yet another tax on property owners that we can neither afford nor should we be obligated to pay.

First, the problem isn’t that the county government needs more money to keep libraries open; the problem is that our illustrious county supervisors have their spending priorities skewed. They are more concerned with vote-buying entitlement programs and spiking their own pensions than keeping vital government services open.

Second, I pay my taxes for police and fire protection, education, transportation (road repair and construction) and libraries. Anything left over can be used to help the poor, infirm or mentally ill, but when the money is gone, that’s it!

Making vital government services, like law enforcement, hostage to a half-cent sales tax or libraries to a benefit assessment district is a crime in itself.

Even more important than the $28.50 a year that this district will take initially (I say initially because once a benefit assessment district is established, the fee can be raised whenever the district deems necessary), it sets the precedent for additional districts for other vital services.

MICHAEL A. PACER

Glendora