To the editor:
Friends of the GB Libraries is a nonprofit organization and, as such, does not endorse specific candidates for elected office. However, we are allowed to educate the public on issues that are important to our members and to let them know how candidates have voted in the past.
When preparing the budget for last year’s Town Meeting, the two incumbent candidates running for Selectboard this year, and two of the candidates running for Finance Committee (one incumbent and one running to get his old seat back), voted to cut thousands of dollars from the library’s book-buying budget in order to save the average taxpayer less than three dollars per year.
They did this despite pleas from the Board of Library Trustees, the Library Director and the public. Consider that one trade paperback book now costs eighteen dollars if you can’t get it at the library.
We understand that taxes are high and that the burden on individual homeowners is heavy and getting heavier every year. We understand the need to carefully examine every item in the budget. But we are not going to solve the property tax problem by saving taxpayers a few dollars (literally). That is old thinking that has never worked. We need a new approach.
Leigh Davis (running for Selectboard) and Meredith O’Connor (running for Finance Committee) both stated in the candidates forum sponsored by THE NEWSletter and the Democratic and Republican town committees that the way to ease the burden of property taxes is through economic development.
In other words, we need to encourage people to move here and to start businesses here and to invest here.
Cutting the very programs that enrich Great Barrington and attract positive attention to our town is no way to encourage growth. Every week in the library we hear visitors to our town praising the Great Barrington Libraries. It’s one of the things that make this a great small town.
Both boards have three people running for two seats. Every voter can vote for two candidates for each board. When you cast your vote, please remember how important the library is to our town.
Holly Hamer, Michelle Kaplan, Michelle Raszl, Jeffrey Van de Visse
Steering Committee
Friends of the GB Libraries
