OPINION: Yes on Measure Y for a great library

Imagine what the library could do with its share of $12 million annually in new revenue.|

If you attended last year’s LumaCon, Petaluma’s answer to Comic-Con, you saw hundreds of kids, many in their favorite superhero costumes, building models, role playing and reading comic books at the Lucchesi Center.

What was less apparent, is that this festival, now in its third year, is the brainchild of Petaluma’s librarians designed to get kids interested in reading. The Petaluma branch of the Sonoma County Library system has been quietly innovating new and exciting programs for adult literacy, computer training, English language learning and more, all on a shoestring budget.

Imagine what the library could do with its share of $12 million annually in new revenue.

The Sonoma County Library, a unique partnership between the county and cities, is asking voters for an eight-cent sales tax increase on the Nov. 8 ballot. It’s a small price to pay - $1 for every $800 spent - but it could transform the library system into an even better community resource.

A similar library measure on the ballot in 2014 earned 62 percent of the vote, failing to reach the necessary two-thirds threshold by about 400 votes.

The sales tax, Measure Y, is worth supporting. The library commission, which is made up of officials appointed by cities and the county, has a detailed spending plan for the new revenue.

One of the top goals of the commission is to restore library hours, which were cut when the recession took a chunk out of the agency’s tax base. The library is currently closed on Sunday and Monday and is only open one evening per week. Having more hours would make the library more convenient for working people and students.

Other stated spending goals include maintaining the library’s children’s book collection, retaining qualified librarians, constructing dedicated computer labs, providing educational services for children including homework help and upgrading facilities. The library receives no support from the county or the cities, and its sole revenue stream is 22.5 cents per $1,000 of property tax, which is locked in place due to Prop. 13.

The Sonoma County Library currently spends $33 per year per county resident, compared to $85 in Napa County, $106 in Marin County and $130 in San Francisco County. While it is true that those other counties have facilities expenses that Sonoma County does not since the library buildings are owned by each member municipality, if rent was factored in, Sonoma County would still spend only about $40 per capita.

Libraries in our neighboring counties, and many others in the state, have a dedicated source of funding, and the Sonoma County Library should as well. Measure Y would expire in 10 years, at which time voters could assess the benefits of the tax and decide whether to renew it. In the meantime, a citizens oversight committee would ensure that the money is being spent appropriately.

While the library commission is not made up of elected officials, its members are appointed by elected officials, who must answer to voters. Petaluma’s representative on the commission is Tim May, who said he is available to answer any questions about the tax measure at tmay@sonoma.lib.ca.us.

Sonoma County deserves to have a world class library system, and Measure Y is a step toward realizing that goal. We recommend a “yes” vote on Measure Y.

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