Gail Borden Library Seeks Nov. 4 ‘Geographic Referendum’
Map of Gail Borden Library District boundaries.Screen shot from Gail Borden Library newsletter.
Google Alerts just sent out an interesting note today (May 20, 2014) with the unusual Associated Press-story headline, “Elgin program gives newborns library cards.”
The AP story, in turn, credits the Daily Herald article, “Literacy program gives library cards to babies born in Elgin.”
A quick look at the Gail Board Library website and its “Discover” newsletter confirms the less-flamboyant but still-interesting headline that Gail Borden will be seeking a Nov. 4 referendum that is needed by law for the district to add to the tax rolls any unserved patrons (including those newborns) within Library District boundaries.
Here’s more information, from the Gail Borden Library:
A Message for Unserved Residents in the Geographic Referendum Area
A family library card was recently mailed to households in Gail Borden Public Library boundaries but unserved by any public library. This complimentary card can be used immediately to access materials and resources both online and at the Main Library and the Rakow Branch. Experience what being a member of the Gail Borden Public Library District can mean:
- Check out eBooks
- Experience new great reads and movies
- Try tutor.com
- Learn a language with Powerspeak
- Join the Paws to Read summer reading club
- Visit the interactive traveling exhibit Adventures with Clifford The Big Red Dog
- And much more.
If you are currently unserved and the Geographic Referendum passes on Nov. 4, your 2015 tax bill will include a line item for the library. For a house valued at $150,000, this will be approximately $240 annually.
A Message for Residents Already in the Library District
If you are presently in the library district (see map on this page), you will also have an opportunity to vote to bring unserved people into the library district. This vote, required by law, will have no impact on your taxes.
For the Gail Borden Public Library District to provide service to these potential district residents, the majority of the unserved voters in the Geographic Referendum area must vote “yes” and a majority of the residents already in the library district must vote “yes” this November.
Whether this Geographic Referendum passes or fails, current library district residents will see no change in services or tax amounts. Gail Borden Public Library will remain committed to providing the best possible services and programs to all of its residents.
At Least One Objector
About the same time as the Google alert arrived, Kane County Connects was Cc’d the following note from Norm Turner, a resident of Campton Township and and senior citizen:
Full Text of Norm Turner Letter
May 20, 2014
I am requesting your assistance to keep our property taxes from being increased significantly. I know this is one of your goals and others have a similar goal.
As residents of the new town of Campton Hills the Gail Borden Library is trying to have a Geographic referendum put on the November 2014 ballot to increase our property tax so they can provide assistance to a local school district. The property tax impact is forecasted to be $240 for each home valued @ $150,000. Homes being targeted by Gail Borden Library are valued $400,000 plus. If approved local property taxes in this area of Campton Hills would increase $ 625 per year.
As residents who already pay property tax to Elgin Community College where we have access to their library we do not need another library tax. If we want access to a second library in Campton Hills we could go to another library south of Campton Hills and for $125 a membership card would have access to a second library. This second library is closer to our residences than the Gail Borden Library, Elgin. And this $125 is not an addition to our current property tax. I do not want a $600+ property tax increase for a service I and others do not and will not use.
If the school district wants more money for the Gail Borden library program it should be taken from the monies they already receive from we tax payers which is 60% of our current property tax bill.
As senior citizens in this area we do not need another property tax increase. We have no kids in schools.
We voted to form our own town and break away from Elgin. I personally believe this is a money maker
scheme from the Gail Borden Library.
This Gail Borden effort should not be a mandatory property tax activity. An alternative would be for each individual resident to select membership into the Gail Borden Library and have their individual property tax bill updated.
Your support to keep this referendum off the ballots in November would be appreciated and very helpful to the senior citizens of Campton Hills.
Sincerely,
Norm Turner
Campton Hills resident
What’s Your Opinion?
- Is the referendum a good idea or bad idea? Leave a comment with this article or on our Kane County Connects Facebook page.
