Twin Lakes to Stay in Community Library

Link to November 23 West of the I article.

Excerpt: A move to have Twin Lakes withdraw from the multi-municipality Community Library to start its own village library was tabled Monday.

That move came after the board put forward a proposed amendment to the agreement that governs the library. That provision would have expenses and revenues tracked on a per branch basis, including a proper proration of joint revenues and expenses.

While the agreement would have to be approved by the governing boards of each municipality, some officials present at the meeting form other municipalities said they approved of the amendment. Those included Randall Chairman Bob Stoll and Library Board President Ken Mangold, a Randall resident.

Community Library in the news:
More library disagreements.  (11/13/2010)
Stakeholders agree to postpone to disagree.  (10/22/2010)
DWD Equal Rights Division:  No discrimination on Community Library case.  (10/18/2010)
Need for more space at Twin Lakes/Randall Branch of Community Library.  (8/23/2010)
More disagreements at Community Library.  (5/25/2010)
Maggie Rivals Dewey for Attention.  (5/24/2010)
Board Member Raises Objections to Library Cat.  (5/9/2010)
New Director Hired.  (4/20/2010)
A Library Board Appointment Not According to Hoyle.  (4/13/2010)
Former Library Director Sues for Wages after Firing.  (3/16/2010)
Position Announcement:  Library Executive Director, Community Library, Salem, Wisconsin.  (2/5/2010)
Former Director of Community Library: From Demotion to Dismissal. (1/29/2010)
 Community Library Board Member Wields Machete to Address $1,000 Deficit. (12/06/2009)
New Community Library Representative to Wilmot School Board. (11/11/2009)
Demoted director to fight for job. (10/30/2009)
Library Board confirms interim director. (10/27/2009)
Community Library Soap Opera Continues. (10/23/2009)
Community Library Update: "What we have here is...failure to communicate. (10/09/2009)
Community Library Board of Trustees: Riding Roughshod? (10/01/2009)
Library Board's "Positive Direction" Takes an Immediate Detour. (9/30/2009)
West county library group under fire. (1/29/2009)

Member of Governor-Elect Walker's Transition Team Floats Idea of Increased Sales Tax

Time to address the sales tax exemption issue?  (Don't count on it.)

From Wisconsin Sales and Use Tax Information

Wisconsin Department of Revenue

See section XI:  What is exempt? (pages 42-66)

Link to November 23 Capital Times 'Biz Beat' column by Mike Ivey, "Shift to higher sales tax eyed".

Excerpt:   A key member of Gov.-elect Scott Walker's transition team is floating an increase in Wisconsin's sales tax as a way to stimulate the economy and create jobs.

Former state budget director Rick Chandler says hiking the sales tax from 5 percent to 7 or 7.5 percent would allow the state to reduce income and property taxes, which rank among the highest in the nation.

"The idea here is to shift the burden to taxes that are less hated," Chandler told a Monday breakfast gathering hosted by the conservative-leaning Wisconsin Policy Research Institute.

Chandler -- who emphasized he was speaking for himself and not Walker -- noted that Wisconsin has made some progress on the tax front over the past two decades.

Wisconsin has gone from the third-highest-taxed state in 1986 to 13th today, according to U.S. Census figures. That ranking is based on state and local tax burden measured against per capita income.  [Emphasis added.]

Find sales tax exemption information for other states.

Sheboygan Council Votes to Make Up Nearly Half of Mayor's Cuts to Library Budget

Hats off to everyone who spoke up for the Mead Public Library.

Link to November 23 Sheboygan Press article, "Council to adopt budget Wednesday night".

Excerpt: The council took two actions during the three-hour marathon meeting.

By an 11-2 vote, it endorsed a general fund budget plan that would retain virtually all of its employees and balance the books through a series of moves that include holding several positions vacant, accepting $134,000 in concessions from the union representing the Public Works Department, using $125,000 from its motor vehicle fund and $100,000 in contingency money. The plan also includes $200,000 in new levy money.

Then, late Monday, aldermen voted, 9-4, to endorse a 6-cent increase in the tax rate to provide $140,500 for Mead Public Library to make up nearly half of the $300,000 in library cuts that Ryan originally planned. The vote came long after a public hearing on the budget, which drew about 30 speakers, many of whom favored fully funding the library.

Even with the $140,500, the library would still not meet its state mandated maintenance of effort funding for 2011, but would be able to remain in the Eastern Shores Library System and offer full services. Under the scenario, the library would continue with having five unpaid furlough days for its employees, closing on those days.

Ald. Don Hammond proposed the 6-cent rate increase for the library, which would keep its budget around $3.1 million, after a motion by Ald. Jim Bohren to raise the tax rate by 12 cents to generate enough money to restore all the cuts failed on a 7-6 vote.

Related articles:
Sheboygan residents keep speaking up for their library.  (11/23/2010)
Alderman plans to introduce amendment to address library budget shortfall.  (11/22/2010)
Sheboygan continues to speak up for its library.  (11/21/2010)
Residents speak up for their library.  (11/16/2010)
Library facing 11% cut in 2011 budget.  (10/9/2010)
Mayor offers his 2011 budget.  (10/5/2010)
Officials face $1,500,000 budget deficit in 2011.  (6/10/2010)
Council approves Mayor's new appointments to library board.  (4/28/2010)
Mayor questioned about library board appointments.  (4/26/2010)
Sheboygan Press Editorial Board supports library funding deal.  (11/27/2009)
Library likely to maintain its Maintenance of Effort funding.  (11/24/2009)
Update on library's Maintenance of Effort.  (11/20/2009)
Maintenance of Effort and the Mead Public Library.  (7/6/2009)