Last-ditch millage vote saves Troy library. (Detroit News, 8/3/2011)
Excerpt: The library doors will stay open in Troy after voters on Tuesday approved a controversial tax hike that divided the community and included threats of book-burning if the measure failed.
More than 58 percent of voters said yes to the city's third attempt at a millage increase to save the library, which city officials said would have to close without additional funding. Residents voted down two similar proposals last year.
"It's a great statement," said Sue Martin, a co-founder of the resident group TRUST, Troy Residents Unified for a Strong Troy, which also formed the ballot committee SAVE Troy to advocate for the library millage.
"The community is committed to supporting not only the library, but the community at large. This was a vote for Troy, not just for the library."
Community groups have been at odds over the five-year, 0.7-mill tax that would cost the owner of a $200,000 home $70 a year.
Deborah DeBacker, a committee member of the anti-tax group Troy Citizens United, said her group crunched the numbers and believes the library could be spared without the new tax.
DeBacker says voters were scared that the library, near the city's municipal offices on Big Beaver, would be shuttered on Friday, as city officials have warned.
"People were scared. It's a shame," she said. "Two out of three times we voted no, and they never closed the library."
The millage proposal has been a contentious issue that even led members of the organization Safeguarding American Families (SAFE) to threaten to hold a book-burning party if the proposal failed.
The tax levy, which passed 12,246 to 8,799, will generate $3.1 million for library services.
TROY LIBRARY SAVED. Residents approve 5-year millage. (Oakland Press, 8/3/2011)
Excerpt: Work remains for city library staff to restore library services, which have lapsed since the library prepared for an Aug. 5 shutdown.
“We have things to renew, books to buy, and people to hire,” said Phillip Kwik, head of public service of the Troy Public Library. “We’ve been in shutdown mode for the past three to four months.”
Related posts:
It's official. (8/2/2011)
Biggest library story of the day, continued. (8/2/2011)
Very early vote tally. (8/2/2011)
Keep your fingers crossed for Troy Public Library. (8/2/2011)
Kids speak up for the Troy Public Library. (8/1/2011)
Partisan politics emerge in Troy Public Library vote. (8/1/2011)
Residents to vote on library village on August 2. (7/28/2011)
Patrons speak up for their library. (7/24/2011)
Safeguarding American Families: Vote yes to save Troy Library. (7/14/2011)
Troy mayor is upbeat. (7/14/2011)
Oakland Press editorial. (7/14/2011)
Book burning listed on Detroit News events calendar. (7/12/2011)
Troy Chamber supports millage request for library. (7/10/2011)
A half-million dollar library collection up in flames? Not gonna happen. (7/9/2011)
I)s it just me or are things heating up in Troy Michigan? (7/6/2011)
The battle lines are drawn. (6/28/2011)
August 2nd a "This Is It" moment for the Troy Public Library.. (5/17/2011)
Working to keep the library open. (5/10/2011)
Will there be a library after June 30th? (4/20/2011)
Keep the Troy Public Library open: Council members told to 'figure it out'. (4/19/2011)
May Day! May Day! Two Michigan libraries set to close on May 1. (4/17/2011)
Library to close on May 1. (2/23/2011)
Troy Michigan (population: 80,000) still on track to close its library. (2/8/2011)
Voters wave bye-bye to their library. (11/3/2010)
Giving voters more choices than they need. (8/13/2010)
Library threatened with closure, part 2. (5/19/2010)
Library threatened with closure, part 1. (4/25/2010)
No comments:
Post a Comment