WHAT IS MEASURE LL AND WHAT IS AT STAKE?  YK Comments

Measure LL is a renewal of a special library tax that was passed 20 years ago as Measure C.  I’ll give you a quick history.

In 1997, the small library was over crowded, short on funds and closed on Sundays and evenings.  I led a special library tax initiative that included a second story addition to the library.  We won by only 20 votes over the 2/3rds needed.

In the year 2000, a State Library Bond proposition was passed.  Subsequently, the City submitted and won an $8.9 million construction grant, which combined with Measure C funds, led to the doubling the size and resulting in the excellent library building we have today.

Our library is heavily used with often over 1,000 patrons in a single day. The literacy, citizenship and technology classes and other programs are highly attended.  But, the library needs more funding, hours, and staff and is open only 3 hours on Fridays and Saturdays.  Its book collection is out dated and substandard, technology services need upgrading and there is a need for physical building improvements and maintenance.

Also, with the end of Measure C next year, things will get worse, including completely closing the library on Saturdays and Sundays.

Last year, a library consultant was hired to do a community needs assessment, with questionnaires, surveys, and public and focus group meetings. The result was a published report that found that our library was heavily used, but it was under funded and under staffed compared to state-wide and other libraries of similar sized cities.  The report justified the need for a library tax renewal.

Measure LL was proposed by the Library Board of Trustees and then the City Council unanimously approved placing it on the March 7^th , Municipal election ballot.

Measure LL will cost $25 per year for a home and residential condominium unit.  And only $75 per year on a parcel for all other uses, no matter the size of the lot or development.  The low tax is the same as Measure C and was intended to avoid any opposition.

Measure LL will generate about $500,000 per year for the next 20 years.  It will supplement not replace the current and guaranteed not less than 5.3% City General Fund allocations to the library, except in emergencies.

Measure LL funds can only be used for the following library uses:

• Expanding library service hours
• Increasing technology services
• Acquiring books and materials
• Improving the library facility and infrastructure
• Funding maintenance and operating costs

The passing of Measure LL will result in a better library in the following ways:

• Expand library services by 13 hours by having Fridays and Saturdays open

for a full 8 hours and opening another evening.

• Enhance the library book collections and materials budget by 66 percent.
• Increase ever changing technology services to maintain the library’s relevance and service to the community.
• Improve the library facility and infrastructure via capital improvement projects.

WE LOVE OUR LIBRARY because it is the center of Monterey Parks’ educational and cultural life – a better library in the city, will enhance our property values by tens of thousands of dollars.  We are an educationally conscious community, so please for the sake of the children and all of us living in Monterey Park,

VOTE YES on MEASURE LL.

This has been a long discourse, but you need to know as much as possible, when you interact with the community.  So, onward and upward!