Posted: 7/9/03

Have some guts and approve library plan

With the exception of facilities in Forest Lake over the years, there is one clear impression of library services for area communities. The services have been pathetic.

That no doubt explains why so many users from Wyoming, Linwood, Scandia and Columbus often traveled to the Forest Lake Public Library. Waiting for the bookmobile to make its stop in Wyoming is OK, but how can one compare the bookmobile to a visit to an actual library that has stacks and stacks of books and related media material.

Forest Lake and the area population has received decades of public service from its library that is now part of the Washington County Library System.

After seeing the success of this library over so many years, it was encouraging to hear of plans in our communities to the north for a new library. Those local efforts in Wyoming gained new momentum last month when a plan was sent before the Chisago County Board that would involve the county issuing $3 million in bonds.

The bonds would be used to finance construction of libraries in Wyoming, Chisago Lakes and North Branch, while providing support to the existing library in Rush City.

Under a plan that is still in the formation stages, the local communities that are backing the plans for library facilities through the East Central Regional Library system would be required to raise matching funds for the building which the county would own and lease back to the cities and ECRL.

The Chisago County plan makes so much sense that it is puzzling why some county board officials are now digging in their heels and opposing it. At a recent county board meeting, commissioners Mike Robinson, Bob Gustafson and Rick Olseen raised red flags against a county schedule leading up to a vote to approve the bonding program.

These guys need to get back on course.

It is certainly high time Chisago County steps into the new century. Right now, taxpayers in the county are paying for little or nothing in terms of library services.

Here are some facts presented recently by Wyoming Commissioner Ben Montzka who favors the bonding plan:

ïChisago County pays almost 30 percent of the total amount of fees assessed to individual counties in the East Central Regional Library system.

ïFor 2003, Chisago County pays an ECRL assessment of $372,539 or 28.19 percent of the total. Isanti County is second with an assessment of $280,772 or 21.25 percent.

ïOther counties in the ECRL system pay the following: Kanabec, 8.71 percent; Mille Lacs, 13.26 percent; Aitkin, 11.85 percent; and Pine, 16.74 percent.

A good bang for the buck? Maybe, if you like the bookmobile.

To be sure, there are other needs in Chisago County right now and the county is losing about $1 million or 3 percent of its state aid because of the state budget situation this year. The county needs a new jail and liberal housing rules in this still rural county is fueling a housing growth that leads to more public demands for services like paved roads.

These needs have to be addressed, but so does the library situation.

Montzka is convinced the county can handle the state revenue reduction without a major budget problem. He calls the decrease ìminimal.î Because of the growth of valuation, he believes the budget for 2004 may in fact result in a property tax decrease. ìThatís good,î he adds.

Based on levy limit rules established by the state, the county is free to issue bonds for buildings like libraries without a negative impact on the levy limit. The $3 million bonding program would be outside the levy limits.

ìThis is the year to do it,î he said of the bonding.

Keep in mind that this is coming from a man who proudly calls himself a conservative Republican. If it makes sense to a conservative, it must work.

But the bottom line is the plan makes sense. Under recent calculations offered by Montzka, the tax impact to a home with $125,000 of tax value would be $10 a year for the $3 million program.

A home with tax value of $200,000 would see a tax hit of about $15 a year, he suggests.

This is not a home town deal for Montzka. It is a plan that favors the broad spance of the county.

Folks in Wyoming certainly welcome the opportunity. Fund-raising efforts continue there and the city is willing to donate the site for the facility, a key contribution.

With the countyís backing, Wyoming will get off the ground with its library.

Why the turnaround by some on the county board? There is a sentiment that other needs should come first, but there is always the old ìpoliticalî wars that have to be fought.

Could there be resentment from Commissioner Gustafson, the senior member of the board, that Montzka, and not Gustafson, was the choice for county board chair in 2003?

Such feelings have been known to mess up good plans before. If it is so here, we would hope the entire five members of the board would check their political feelings at the door out of respect for good public service.

Montzka, for one, is electing to continue the fight for the library bonding program. ìI choose not to give up,î he says. ìBooks are just as important as asphalt on roads.î

A public hearing on the library bonding plan is still on tap 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 16 in the County Board Room of the County Government Center in Center City.

If you have feelings about library needs, how your tax dollars are being spent and what you would like to see the county board do in this matter, spend some time on July 16 and tell the county officials to open the book to the next chapter and move into the 21st century.

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