Library Millage - good or bad idea?
I just finished reading the article in this week's City Pulse about the 0.96 millage proposed to help fund a $93 million dollar overhaul to the library system. This would be an Ingham County millage, the bulk of which would go to fund a brand new library and Impression 5 located at the current site of Oliver Towers (Shiawassee and Ionia) which has been vacant since 2000. As an owner of 8 rental units in Lansing, I cringe at the thought of any increase in property taxes, which I will not be able to offset by increasing rents. (I have actually had to lower rents lately) And after all, I have a computer and internet access already, right?
But on the other hand, I use the libaray and see the lines for people waiting to get online. This is perhaps their only opportunity to do so, not to mention the scores of other materials available. And in tough economic times, education becomes one of the most important investments we can make to improve life for the entire area.
The real reason I will be voting for this millage is because it is a perfect example of what I think we should be doing more of...regional tax sharing. What are your thoughts?
But on the other hand, I use the libaray and see the lines for people waiting to get online. This is perhaps their only opportunity to do so, not to mention the scores of other materials available. And in tough economic times, education becomes one of the most important investments we can make to improve life for the entire area.
The real reason I will be voting for this millage is because it is a perfect example of what I think we should be doing more of...regional tax sharing. What are your thoughts?
Comments
I know its a touchy argument to make, but by in large its seems like CADL is one of the few millages I personally see some return on my expenses... I don't go to LCC, I don't ride CATA, I rarely fly out of the airport, and since I live in the City... the County doesn't do a whole lot for me compared to somebody in say, Leslie...
Unfortunately, the second table that was prepared wasn't included. That shows the breakdown of where the money is spent. That data is below, for your use and debate.
Long story short, if you exclude the central services operations, which serve all the libraries and Impression 5, the tax money collected by each community is in the ballpark of what's spent on services for that community. For example, Lansing gets the bulk of construction, but pays the most for the millage.
How the millage would be spent:
Lansing (3 libraries): 38.3%
Meridian Township (2 libraries): 16.2%
Holt/Delhi: 10.8%
Mason: 6.4%
Williamston: 4.1%
Leslie: 1.9%
Stockbridge: 0.7%
Dansville: 0.7%
Aurelius: 0.3%
Webberville: 0.2%
Central Services: 9.2%
Impression 5 Science Center: 8.5%
Opening Day Collection (systemwide): 2.7%
Anyways, I really hope this passes.
Option A (2 Floor Impression 5, 3 Floor CADL):
Option B (Same as A except Impression 5 sits atop ground floor parking):
Option C (2 Floor Impression 5, 3 floor CADL):
As for the location plan options...using less space by ground floor parking is sometimes nice, such as in Option B, especially if it adds to the presence of a building, but I don't know about that in this case. I agree with LMich and Hood about the site plan. C is nice, but facing Shiawasee and Capital just seems better aesthetically to me. For others reference it would look more like this:
Also, with the costs of this all going to taxpayers, whom had paid for the building of the current headquarters, what would become of any money from sales or lease of that?