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 Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 9:29 am EDT Post subject: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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Thursday, July 23, 2009 1:52 PM EDT
To the editor:
I was pleased to attend the public portion of the Township Committee meeting on July 13, and to hear the excellent presentation by the Library Board of Trustees regarding their desire to investigate the feasibility of a separate location for Cranbury Public Library. As reported in the July 17 edition of The Cranbury Press, there was general agreement that placement of a referendum on the ballot in November would be helpful in determining the degree of public support for this endeavor. I write this letter to offer additional information on the subject for your consideration.
For many years the library has been housed in the Cranbury School building. While that may have been a mutually beneficial situation at first, it has recently become clear to me that the old arrangement is no longer satisfactory.
Last spring, when school officials expressed their desire to expand their own use of the space that the Public Library now occupies, they attempted to curtail the hours during which the library would be open to the general public. During that time of uncertainty, I attended a meeting of the Board of Education. In the public comment portion of that meeting, we were informed by the chairperson of the Board of Education that the sign over the entrance to the public portion of the library — the one that reads: CRANBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY — was incorrect; that it should, in fact, read CRANBURY SCHOOL LIBRARY. From the BOE’s point of view, we were told, the library occupies the premises thanks to the good will of the school. As nominal owners of the building, they presume the right to exclude the public from their premises whenever they choose.
http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2009/07/24/cranbury_press/your_views/doc4a68a112cafb9945300233.txt |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 10:14 am EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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The campaign continues to ramp into high gear...
If only there really was a public referendum. I suspect the TC 3 will still try buy the building without one. They will cite the need to act quickly, the difficulty in a referendum specific to a property that hasn't been acquired yet and letters they like this that they solicited and the support at meetings they organized as reasons. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 10:22 am EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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It seems the library is under the pressure of the BOE to move out.
Should the TC get the BOE and the library board together for a finding of facts before doing anything?
To buy the PNC building, 4 out of 5 TC members have to agree, right? |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 5:59 pm EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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| Betsey Norland wrote: | Thursday, July 23, 2009 1:52 PM EDT
For many years the library has been housed in the Cranbury School building. While that may have been a mutually beneficial situation at first, it has recently become clear to me that the old arrangement is no longer satisfactory.
Last spring, when school officials expressed their desire to expand their own use of the space that the Public Library now occupies, they attempted to curtail the hours during which the library would be open to the general public. During that time of uncertainty, I attended a meeting of the Board of Education. In the public comment portion of that meeting, we were informed by the chairperson of the Board of Education that the sign over the entrance to the public portion of the library — the one that reads: CRANBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY — was incorrect; that it should, in fact, read CRANBURY SCHOOL LIBRARY. From the BOE’s point of view, we were told, the library occupies the premises thanks to the good will of the school. As nominal owners of the building, they presume the right to exclude the public from their premises whenever they choose.
http://www.centraljersey.com/articles/2009/07/24/cranbury_press/your_views/doc4a68a112cafb9945300233.txt |
Its still not clear to me even from your opinion piece, why the old arrangement is no longer satisfactory?? It seems to be working fine when I visit the library, what problems are so clearly making this arrangement unworkable between the School and Library, for you?
If its a threat by the school superintendent to limit public access then maybe the TC or the taxpayers should change the management of either one if they are being unreasonable and cant act in a civil manner to share the facility. I for one am willing to vote the school super or the head of the library out of office if this will fix the situation. It seems like a more logical resolution then spending multi-millions on a new building when its not needed just yet.
Heck the library hasnt even started a fund raiser for god sakes because they dont know how much they will need for a new facility. What will it cost to fillit with new books, and staff and maintenance and salary. How can you agree to a new library without knowing the costs? Seems silly to me the reasoning behind the new PNC movement. If you want a new Cranbury Library, raise enough funds for it - that's what Princeton and Plainsboro did. They just didnt one day decide as an impulse to buy real estate and build the facility without a full plan, cost analysis and fiscal projects.
Oh and by the way, it took more then 1yr to plan the entire project, do you think Cranbury could do it in a few TC meetings, unlikely. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 6:38 pm EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: PNC purchase is a bad fiscal decision |
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| Guest wrote: | It seems like a more logical resolution then spending multi-millions on a new building when its not needed just yet.
... How can you agree to a new library without knowing the costs? Seems silly to me the reasoning behind the new PNC movement. If you want a new Cranbury Library, raise enough funds for it - that's what Princeton and Plainsboro did. They just didnt one day decide as an impulse to buy real estate and build the facility without a full plan, cost analysis and fiscal projects.
Oh and by the way, it took more then 1yr to plan the entire project, do you think Cranbury could do it in a few TC meetings, unlikely. |
I keep asking the same question WHY PNC?, WHY DO THIS NOW? many building go on sale every year on main street in Cranbury, why are we rushing this without a plan? |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 7:10 pm EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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| It is obvious that the Main Street businesses that need additional parking would love to have the library move into the PNC. It brings people closer to them and keeps the PNC lot at their disposal. Let them build their own parking lots without using my tax $$$$. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 8:29 pm EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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| Guest wrote: | | It is obvious that the Main Street businesses that need additional parking would love to have the library move into the PNC. It brings people closer to them and keeps the PNC lot at their disposal. Let them build their own parking lots without using my tax $$$$. |
Am I mistaken but isnt the current SHARED library only 2min walk from PNC and also has a huge parking lot??? What's the difference? |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 8:42 pm EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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| Guest wrote: | | It is obvious that the Main Street businesses that need additional parking would love to have the library move into the PNC. It brings people closer to them and keeps the PNC lot at their disposal. Let them build their own parking lots without using my tax $$$$. |
If the Cranbury Inn needs more parking will we use our tax dollars to buy more space to help the situation? I doubt the TC will help them in anyway given past history.
Or if the architect/builder on south main st needs more parking will Taxpayer dollars be use to convert the public parking across the street for its use? dont think so.
What about Georges Garage, will the TC help make more parking available for his business, he's been in Cranbury far longer then most business and needs the parking to grow,...... when will it stop.
I have never seen this fictitious parking problem in Cranbury - its a total farce |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 11:15 pm EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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| Guest wrote: | | It is obvious that the Main Street businesses that need additional parking would love to have the library move into the PNC. It brings people closer to them and keeps the PNC lot at their disposal. Let them build their own parking lots without using my tax $$$$. |
They don't need more parking. The idea that Cranbury has any parking problem is laughable. Honestly I would question patroning any business that made this claim because either they are not honest or not very smart. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 11:19 pm EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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I am disappointed that at 3:30 pm the library is overcrowded with kids, because they don't have enough room to sit, rad, do homework.
I am disappointed that the few times I visited the library during a presentation/talk, there was insufficient room available.
IMHO it is too small, and it is not a recent discovery. This has been brought up for many, many years.
In terms on money....the library has more than a 3/4 million $$$ available, and has a difficult time spending it on library related stuff. As for taxes. The library get, correct me if I am wrong, 0.3% of the taxes anyway, that's mandated by the State.
What did the board ask the township to do again? Ask if the PNC bank building could be donated (for a big tax break) or if PNC would reduce the price substantially.
While I understand the fear of more taxes, maybe we should wait until numbers are crunched?
What benefit do I get from the 10 million $$$ Liberty Way project? I have no issues with the traffic over there.... |
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Countess Von Backwards
Guest
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| Posted: Fri, Jul 24 2009, 11:38 pm EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library |
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| Quote: | | we were informed by the chairperson of the Board of Education that the sign over the entrance to the public portion of the library — the one that reads: CRANBURY PUBLIC LIBRARY — was incorrect; that it should, in fact, read CRANBURY SCHOOL LIBRARY. |
Maybe the real incentive to buy the PNC is to have the TC3 on a bronze plaque next to the name??
If I had to pick were to spend $2mil, either the PNC library or save these funds to fight COAH, its a no-brainer for me. More COAH will depress my homevalues, a new library will both increase my taxes and depress my homevalues (since we would have spent our funds on the library and couldn't fight COAH.) The TC cant ignored the impending COAH since post election the Dems will win back the Assembly in Nov, and they will restart the building process in Cranbury and rest of NJ. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Sat, Jul 25 2009, 12:06 am EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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| Guest wrote: |
What benefit do I get from the 10 million $$$ Liberty Way project? I have no issues with the traffic over there.... |
You should ask the current memebers of the TC who agreed to build the road along with the county |
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Guest
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| Posted: Sat, Jul 25 2009, 8:24 am EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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| Guest wrote: | I am disappointed that at 3:30 pm the library is overcrowded with kids, because they don't have enough room to sit, rad, do homework.
I am disappointed that the few times I visited the library during a presentation/talk, there was insufficient room available.
IMHO it is too small, and it is not a recent discovery. This has been brought up for many, many years.
In terms on money....the library has more than a 3/4 million $$$ available, and has a difficult time spending it on library related stuff. As for taxes. The library get, correct me if I am wrong, 0.3% of the taxes anyway, that's mandated by the State.
What did the board ask the township to do again? Ask if the PNC bank building could be donated (for a big tax break) or if PNC would reduce the price substantially.
While I understand the fear of more taxes, maybe we should wait until numbers are crunched?
What benefit do I get from the 10 million $$$ Liberty Way project? I have no issues with the traffic over there.... |
At 3:30 the library will always have kids as parents use this for babysitting. Having them cross Main St. as opposed to stay at the school is an issue.
First, the town is legally allowed to get that money back and this year the library returned 18K.
Second, the library failed to show any operational costs before asking about PNC that is a concern.
Third, the liberty way bridge, the ballfield were all done by a full Dem TC, so the easy answer is vote for change.
Four, the tax on PNC is 20k, the school rent the library is now paying is 50K. So any number that is shown has to show how a 70K short fall in town and school budgets will be made up prior to even one more step. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Sat, Jul 25 2009, 9:03 am EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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| Guest wrote: | I am disappointed that at 3:30 pm the library is overcrowded with kids, because they don't have enough room to sit, rad, do homework.
I am disappointed that the few times I visited the library during a presentation/talk, there was insufficient room available.
IMHO it is too small, and it is not a recent discovery. This has been brought up for many, many years.
In terms on money....the library has more than a 3/4 million $$$ available, and has a difficult time spending it on library related stuff. As for taxes. The library get, correct me if I am wrong, 0.3% of the taxes anyway, that's mandated by the State.
What did the board ask the township to do again? Ask if the PNC bank building could be donated (for a big tax break) or if PNC would reduce the price substantially.
While I understand the fear of more taxes, maybe we should wait until numbers are crunched?
What benefit do I get from the 10 million $$$ Liberty Way project? I have no issues with the traffic over there.... |
Liberty Way is a bad idea too, but it doesn't make the Library any better of an idea by comparison.
The bottom line is we have $23 million in debt (that's tens-of-thousands in debt that every single one of us taxpayers is personally responsible for via the Township, even more if your tax bill is above the average) and we should be working to reduce it before we spend a dime we aren't obligated to. As a taxpayer, I don't feel good personally being responsible for $45,000 in Township debt, yet that's what I estimate I am on the hook for. And unlike my personal finances, where I have been careful never to carry credit card debt or take out second mortgages for elective expenses or carry any risky first mortgages with a low starting equity basis, etc., I am forced by the township to be a reckless debtor through my property tax obligation, for which I have virtually no control. That’s why any major expensive should be put to a vote and not left up to 5 people with multi-year terms.
And keep in mind we control the school and by extension the school board and administration work for us, the taxpayers and voters. If we have a problem with the school board having a different agenda than the library, we should order them to fix it and make the agenda of effectively working together and saving money their shared priority. By the same token, if the library has a lot of money because of a mandated tax collection, we should be looking for effective ways to accomplish our goal of reducing debt or our tax obligation rather than saying, “we have $800k sitting there burning a hole in our pocket so let’s come up with a way to spend it,” which BTW will obligate the Township taxpayers to a perpetual new operating expense. For example, since we control the library and the school and the library uses school property let’s use that as an opportunity. Why not substantially increase the rent the library has to pay the school? This additional rent seems like a better use of the surplus our tax dollars paid for and would provide income to the school that we could order the Board to use, not for additional expenses but to reduce the rate they tax us to maintain their budget. Then we could either reduce taxes or start paying down debt more quickly. Then, down the road when we have substantially reduced our debt, we can consider if we collectively want something like a stand-alone library.
I will never forget Mayor Stout at a public hearing on the PNC site last year justifying that the Township is fiscally conservative because we “legally” could have us to $65 million in debt instead of 20-something. That kind of thinking is utterly frightening. It’s the same kind of thinking that burdens NJ with the highest property taxes in the nation. It’s the municipal equivalent to the person who maxes out all their credit cards shopping, eating out, taking nice vacations without worrying about the consequences to their long term financial health and commitments. You can argue all day scenarios where the library isn’t expensive PER YEAR PER PERSON. But that is twisted logic. That’s the same way individuals justify their fancy new jeans on their plastic debt cards. If you want to be responsible you need to draw a line in the sand and start truly applying the principle of “necessity” versus “like to have.” Ironically, the same Mayor who stated the above justified that much of our tax increases recently were beyond the control of the current TC because they are mandatory minimum payment of existing debt. That’s exactly right. Everything we commit to know is literally adding decades of obligation to taxpayers. And each little elective project adds to the monster that sneaks up on us slowly but surely.
Choose responsibility. Choose to respect our debt and stop spending a dime we don’t have to until we demonstrate we can handle the bill for all the elective spending of our past.
BTW, we have three kids who use the library for both public use and school and we attend many of the event there. It’s just fine. No need to spend money making it bigger. Sure, that would be nice if someone who wasn’t costing me a dime of local, state or federal taxes came along and offered it, but it’s hardly essential. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Sat, Jul 25 2009, 9:07 am EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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| Guest wrote: | | Four, the tax on PNC is 20k, the school rent the library is now paying is 50K. So any number that is shown has to show how a 70K short fall in town and school budgets will be made up prior to even one more step. |
Excellent point.
This is the kind of point that proponents like to overlook. Our school taxes have been escalating far too much as it is, and not for things that directly improve our kids education. This is exactly the kind of hidden cost that the same group that approved the ballfield under the premise that it wouldn't cost us anything like to overlook in their zeal to get more. more, more large township vanity services in our tiny little hamlet of 4,000. |
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Guest
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| Posted: Sat, Jul 25 2009, 9:16 am EDT Post subject: Re: LETTERS: Cranbury Library needs its own space |
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With the upcoming 4.6% increase in federal taxes, 5%+ federal tax surcharge so I can pay for everyone else's healthy care while I my family continues to use a crappy HMO and I personally pay for the healthy care of my retired teacher mother, and the massive upcoming increase in NY state tax and the elimintation of the NJ deduction for my mortgage, my effective tax basis is now well in excess of 50%.
When is enough enough? New projects equal new capital expenses and endless years of new operating expense commitments. And that equals more taxes in perpetuity. Stop the insanity people. Don't you get it? Some people in this township seem completely divorced from reality... |
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