Document text
60 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, April 19, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 19, 2005 Blake Kimble, 20, of Medford searches the stacks at the Central Library on Monday. County officials have suggested creating a special tax district to fund libraries, thus saving money in the county�s general fund. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell County proposes library-district tax The tax could help combat a $7.5 million budget shortfall By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Jackson County officials could lean on the library system to help bail them out of a predicted $7.5 million shortfall as expenses continue to outpace revenues in the next three years. In an annual budget message, County Administrator Sue Slack said the library system could generate its own revenues independent of the county by creating a special district to raise taxes. "Should the library district be successful, more than $7.5 million would be removed from the general fund, thus reducing the demands on the general fund that cannot be met," Slack stated. Outlining the proposed $278 million budget for the next fiscal year, Slack said the shortfall could be even worse if $22 million in federal timber dollars are eliminated in 2007. Ronnie Budge, director of Jackson County Library Services, said the idea of a special district has been discussed only in general terms and is a long way from becoming a reality. Advertisement "I was surprised to see it in there," she said, referring to the county budget message. In addition to money from a possible library district, Slack said the county proposes a rainy day fund of $22 million next fiscal year to help offset potential shortfalls. A large portion of this fund comes from the recent sales of Miles Field, the former juvenile facility and a piece of county property that will be used for the north Medford interchange. The proposed budget is spent on the airport, community justice, the Expo Center, the justice court, health and human services, roads, parks and planning and other services. A majority of the money is earmarked for specific programs such as health services, roads and bond measures that support the building of new libraries. What’s left — almost $60 million — makes up the general fund budget, which pays for such services as the sheriff’s department and the library system. Budge said that before the library even considers a special district, it will have to plow through data being compiled from a new survey currently underway. The survey asks patrons to rate what they like best at their library, from books for adults to programs and activities for schoolchildren. It also asks them what they want from their libraries and what they like least. Budge said that in her own conversations with patrons, she’s learned they want longer library hours and more materials available on the shelves. Currently none of the 15 public libraries in Jackson County is open enough hours to meet the Oregon Library Association standards for "adequate" service. She said she plans to meet with local service groups in the future to get a better idea of what the public expects from its library system and how best to pay for it. Paul Cano said he’d be willing to pay more in property taxes to support the library system. "It’s a great resource," said the 29-year-old Medford resident, whose wife uses books from the Medford library to homeschool their two children. Medford resident Ericka Reid, 23, was skeptical about creating a special district. "I think a tax increase would only be a temporary solution," she said. "It doesn’t protect against any future cuts." She cited schools as one example of a government program that continually gets cuts in funding. She suggested the library system seek a variety of funding sources, such as grants and private donations. Asking voters for money might not work, she said, because the public "is always suspicious of where the money is going." Jeff Breitler, 33, of Medford, said, "It’s worth it to pay a little more to have a nice resource." Breitler, a youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Medford, uses the Medford library as a quiet place to study but offered one suggestion to make it a better experience. "It would be nice to put a coffee place on this level," said Breitler, who was studying on the second story. The following meetings will discuss the proposed 2005-06 Jackson County budget. Presentation of budget: 8:30 a.m. today at the Jackson County Courthouse Auditorium, 10 S. Oakdale Ave., Medford. Public hearing: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the courthouse. Public hearing: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. Includes recommendations for elected officials’ salaries. Budget committee deliberations: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. It is a public meeting, but testimony will not be heard. Elected officials’ salary committee meeting: noon to 1:30 p.m. at the County Administrator’s Office, 10 S. Oakdale Ave., Room 214. No public testimony will be taken. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Tatoos Advertisement s