Forums planned on downtown Ann Arbor library future, millage request
The Ann Arbor District Library has scheduled three community forums to seek input on the future of the downtown library and a possible millage request.
A woman walks past the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library. Library officials are contemplating the facility's future.
A poll conducted earlier this year found 60 percent of likely voters would support a $65 million bond proposal to fund a major renovation of the library or new construction project.
The bond proposal would result in a property tax increase of approximately 0.69 mills, meaning that for every $200,000 in market value and a taxable value of $100,000, a typical homeowner would pay an additional $69 per year, or $5.75 per month.
The forums will be June 9 from 10 a.m. to noon, June 12 from 7 to 9 p.m. and June 20 from 7 to 9 p.m. They will be held in the multi-purpose room of the library, 343 S. 5th Ave.
Those who can’t make the forums can email comments to downtown@aadl.org.
Comments
RUKiddingMe
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 10:15 p.m.
Mike, what facts do I need to check? I wasn't saying everything is a tax, nor that the mayor is directly responsible for every line item in the property taxes. I was saying that it is astounding how the city and associated parties (ie. organizations that get money from our tax dollars) keep expanding, renovating, building, etc., and on top of that we continue to see new millages and requests to extend/add to millages. I don't think the Justice Center not being directly paid for with a new millage called "the justice center millage" means it was necessary, done on the cheap, or was a good idea; it added (huge amounts of) debt to the city. And if we moved everyone out of the old building into a new building because the old building was so terrible and couldn't be used, why are we reonovating and still using the old building? How much could be paid for if they stopped WASTING money they already had? And is your claim tht the mayor and city council have nothing to do with AATA or the school board? So the AATA and the schools can just announce that they're asking for a new millage, and it doesn't go through city council or the mayor at all? It seems like a saw several things on the council agendas regarding AATA's recent demolishings and renovations. Was that just zoning? I'm really curious here, not being sarcastic. So the AATA can just announce to the public that they're holding votes for a millage increase, and no involvement from mayor or council is required or happens? And I really don't think the Observer's April issue showed our A2 government to be more efficient than most. That whole Fuller station thing/A2 Recycling/Public Art/bunch of other stuff seems pretty inefficient. Like spending 2 million without even knowing the first thing about whether a train tation might even be necessary or paid for or will happen, etc. Even if somehow, tragically, that IS the most efficient, it still needs some work.
davecj
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 2:28 p.m.
We currently pay 1.55 mil tax for the ann arbor library, so add the .69 mil, and that's a 50% increase in the library millage to 2.24 mil. So on our fictional $200,000 house, we will be paying $224 a year, instead of the current $155. Really!
Ron Granger
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 1:45 p.m.
I love the library. But why a new building? None of these stories cover that. We don't need fancy schmancy new building for the sake of it. We don't need a new building so the DDA can spend hundreds of millions building a new parking structure under it.
mike umbolt
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 1:46 a.m.
Oh, one more thing. It is not a new city hall. Only the police and courts are in there. The county moved their juvenile courts into the space the city courts used to have in the county's court house. The city courts had to move. If you ever saw the old police station in the basement of city hall you would understand why the cops needed a new building. All done without a tax increase. Now if we could get the mayor to go after more development I would be a fan.
mike umbolt
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 12:08 p.m.
Again, snap, I'm against almost all tax increases, only pointing out things can be done without increasing taxes and the new building was needed.
snapshot
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 9:28 a.m.
Hey Mike, there's no development opportunity because it isn't profitable unless you're a government entity using taxpayer money. There's a flot of folks out here paying taxes that arn't living in ideal conditions. Your attitude is one of a government employee who thinks they have a "right" to spend tax dollars.
mike umbolt
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 1:41 a.m.
RUKiding: You need to check your facts. The mayor has nothing to do with the school board or the library board, they are elected on their own. The AATA millage has never been raised in 40 years. The city portion of the property tax millage (28%) is lower now than it was in 2000. While I wish he was more pro development, it would raise more revenue, I respect the mayor for not raising taxes through the worst of times. Most cities have. The water and sewer increases in this town are way lower than in others and Ann Arbor has lower rates than most in the whole state. The only (very small) city millage that has gone up was when voters told the city to take over paying for maintaining the sidewalks, something the city never did before. If you read the April Ann Arbor Observer article on the city government operation you would know it is way, way more efficient than most.
mike umbolt
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 12:06 p.m.
UMMM... snap maybe you didn't read RUKidding's post, he said the mayor was responsible for the Library & schools millage's, all I did was say no, he isn't. No way was I "justifying" any tax increases, all I said is that the city government millage has not gone up.
snapshot
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 9:24 a.m.
I didn't read anything about the mayor having an interest in this library issue Mike. I also resent your using a "step ladder" approach of comparing other municipalities raises rates to justify increasing rates for like entities. Your logic is a real problem for me, "county X has an increase so county Y deserves one too, then county X wants additional increases because county Y got one". This is self serving buearacacy at it's worst.
RUKiddingMe
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 12:44 a.m.
Holy God. It's like this town is being punked. It really is like they keep doing stuff to see when someone will actually do something. It's like they're daring each other, or playing a game of taxing jenga. Who's tax will be the one the A2 taxpayers will say no to? New City Hall, renovate and reskin old City Hall, sidewalk millage, transit study, bus expansion, bus renovation, bus station rebuild, school millage, another school millage, raise the water/sewer rates, "public" art on the INSIDE of City Hall, couple million on dumb train station idea before it's even known if it'll work, raise water/sewer AGAIN. "Okay, John, I owe you $5. I never thought we'd get that whole county-wide expansion thing through. Man, these people just can't seem to cast no votes. What's left? OOh, we haven't built a new library in a while. Oh wait, yeah we did. Well, how's this, this is even more ridiculous. Let's say we need to add ANOTHER tax to renovate the library. C'mon, give me a chance to win my money back; double or nothing they vote this down." And Heifte's response, since he knows the voters better: "You got it, bub. Double or nothing."
DJBudSonic
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 12:43 a.m.
We are what I would consider heavy library users, of both the downtown and Traverwood branch. By heavy, I would say we more than get our money out of the library; at any given time our family of four has over 100 items out or on request, and we attend many of the great events that the excellent staff facilitates. The meeting facilities are adequate for the school board, I would say the only thing I don't like about it is the heavy use of the washrooms by the street people of the area. This library in it's current state serves us well. It is perfectly good, and in no need of replacement. Please attend these forums and speak out about the use of your tax dollars. Tell all your friends and neighbors to contact the library and politely let them know that we don't need a new downtown facility. It is a nice modern building that works well, and we are proud and lucky to have it. We do not need a new downtown library building and the long term tax debt that comes with that decision. Don't let this new building train back on the rails or we will be unable to stop it! The fact that money was already spent to study the issue, or that the mechanical systems updates might reach a certain cost level and somehow trigger the need for a new building are specious arguments.
brimble
Wed, May 30, 2012 : 10:33 p.m.
Ann Arbor enjoys fine public libraries. We also pay plenty for them. Is anyone having a comprehensive discussion about what the owner of the mythical $200k house pays in taxes and what we as a community get for that money? Half a mill here for sidewalks, half a mill there for school technology bonds, half a mill more for library upgrades... pretty soon we're talking about real money!
GoNavy
Thu, May 31, 2012 : midnight
Exactly, well said. Another way of stating what you've shared is "death by a thousand cuts." Everybody just wants a couple of pennies, but in the end the homeowner is coughing up serious dollar amounts in aggregate.
GoNavy
Wed, May 30, 2012 : 10 p.m.
Zzzt. I'll definitely be voting this one down, especially considering the fact that nearly every library on the University of Michigan campus is both free and open to the public.
AfterDark
Thu, May 31, 2012 : 3:05 a.m.
The general public cannot check out University Library materials without purchasing a library card there ( ~$150/year) and even then not all electronic databases are available except to staff and registered students.