Vote "yes" for the library bond
No new taxes? To stay competitive with area cities and meet public demand for service,
we not only need to have a reasonable tax rate, but provide excellent police
and fire protection, sound basic infrastructure and attractive amenities. All of these take money. Public safety and infrastructure can usually be
addressed within annual budgets. However, amenities like libraries, parks and recreation faculties are
often larger expenditures which are not affordable from a single year's
revenue. To fund them, the
city borrows the funds and pays them back over time such that the cost is
affordable in the annual budget, not coincidentally as we enjoy the amenities. Much of what people love about Farmers Branch-our parks,
creeks, recreation facilities and, yes, the current Library-were funded with
bond sales. All of us borrow to buy
things that we will use over a long time, notably our homes. Lenders are careful to prevent us from
over-committing. Simply put, bond
issuers won't put you into harm's way. The city has the capacity to repay the debt.
We don't need a new library? Much misinformation has been circulated about
the need for a new library and the costs of renovation the current one. We checked out the statements below that were
posted on the Vote Yes Farmers Branch
facebook page and are satisfied that they are factual statements.
Truth #1 The total package cost is $24 million. This is for a new, completely furnished
library, a parking structure, the expansion of Rawhide Park and the teardown of the old library.
Truth #2 School libraries are not accessible to all. Additionally, they are not open in
the evenings, weekends, various holidays and school breaks like summer.
Truth #3 Libraries
are not a dying institution. As of 2012, library construction and renovation
has remained steady throughout the U.S. According to a 2013 survey by the Pew Internet and American
Life Project, 54 percent of Americans ages 16 and older have used a public
library in some way in the past 12 months.
Truth #4 Farmers Branch officials and city staff have been transparent with needed renovation costs for
Manske Library. On the FAQ tab of votefbtx.com, there is an outlined list from
Gallagher Construction that details the current issues with the library and a
total cost estimate of roughly $12 million. The "Vote No" group
continues to push an incorrect estimate with pie-in-the-sky numbers.
Truth #5 The Library Board has done extensive due-diligence and initially presented to
city council the idea of a potential renovation last year. After doing a
standard cost analysis, Council then decided it was more fiscally responsible
to build a new library with a 50-year life expectancy rather than a costly
renovation that would only cover 15-20 years.
Truth #6 The library is not ADA compliant and does not meet the more stringent Texas
Accessibility Standards. It is difficult for residents (children and adults)
with disabilities to easily access restrooms, maneuver through the aisles and
even manipulate the library stacks.
Join Us In Voting FOR Farmers Branch Proposition A
Early voting continues through
Tuesday, April 30
and Election Day is Saturday, May 4, 2019.
Please check our web page for specific voting information.
