Commentary

Library bond would be a foolish expense

By M. Elaine Hocker

As a longtime Saratoga resident, a volunteer for senior citizens and a longtime participant in the political process, I feel compelled to express my opposition to the tax-increase proposal to fund the remodeling of the Saratoga Community Library.

Saratoga obviously is not intent on gaining the same nationwide recognition that the town of Normal, Ill., recently earned by declaring itself "debt-free." Apparently, the citizens of Normal decided several years ago that it was morally reprehensible for them to acquire any type of debt that their children and grandchildren would still be paying for when the parents were no longer around to justify the debt.

In contrast, Saratoga's debt-happy approach appears to mean that one should not even consider any in-depth review of tax-increase proposals. For example, the March and April ballots will ask us to approve a $15 million bond measure for expansion of the Saratoga Library, plus a $6 million bond measure to pay for a new fire station. The disparity in costs between the library and fire station would seem to require some explanation.

Two misperceptions about the proposed library-tax increase need to be clarified. The common adage about taxes is that those who pay the taxes should also be the ones to derive the benefit from the taxation. In 1993 and 1996, I sat outside the Saratoga Library collecting signatures on two ballot measures. Much to my surprise, I discovered that only about one of eight people using the library whom I interviewed were Saratoga residents.

I wanted to pursue this, so I called 26 Saratoga homeowners who have lived here from at least 10 to more than 50 years. Almost half of those that I called indicated they use the library "maybe" once or twice a year. The next highest number indicated they have never used the library, and this is the number that caused me to resent the proposed library-tax increase period.

The 1990 census reflects that Saratoga has the highest percentage (13.6 percent) of senior citizens of any surrounding community. Those responding that they never used the library are mostly retired managers and physicians, 80 years old or older, who have lived in Saratoga more than 30 years and have been major contributors to Saratoga's tax base supporting its services and education. Many of these 80-year-old residents have been ill for many years, incurring huge medical expenses that have depleted much of their savings. Asking them to sacrifice for a tax proposal they will never use seems criminal to me.

The second misperception arises from the "horse and buggy" mentality that chooses to ignore how future technology will affect our entire culture. One forecasted result of this technology is the elimination of any need for individual library buildings. No, I do not accept the theory that the computer will create a "paperless society" in the near future, but I do accept projections from experts in the field of technology, such as those from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. One current MIT assertion is that a wristwatch-size reference library will appear on the market any day now.

With more than 50 percent of our population owning computers and the current plan to combine all types of communication into one system--i.e., computer, television, telephone, video, CDs, etc.--the need to access any type of information will be readily available.

For those wanting to relax with "a book in hand," experts project a cost-effective library system that eliminates most of the overhead costs associated with the current system. All books could be maintained in mobile vans or a large warehouse with a sophisticated postal service type of system for sorting, storing and maintaining the books without human intervention. Your computerized library ID could initiate the action to have any book delivered to your front door.

Meanwhile, "back at the farm," your approval of library bonds to finance library buildings would mean your children and grandchildren would still be paying for the bonds that financed a building no longer used as a library. I hope all Saratoga homeowners, not classified in the debt-happy category, will give some consideration to the foregoing before casting your vote on March 7.

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M. Elaine Hocker has lived in Saratoga for 43 years.

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