New Library Building to Cost Estimated $21 Million

M&M January 18, 2013 at 10:41 am

Let me see if I have this straight, $21 million, and to use the example they gave on the radio, a house worth $175, 000 now pays $83.00 for the current library tax would see an increase of $217.00 to a total of $300.00 on their property tax bill. My question is why does the Referendum ballot question state "for any purpose of said Library District", and not state the money is to build a new library at a cost of $21million? A lot of people may have missed the articles written about the new libray and being that this may very well triple everyones library tax rate, voters should have this information so they can make an intelligent decision. The rate we paid last year was .1436. In my opinion the Referendum question as written above might be confusing for people who have not been kept up to date on the new library. That's a pretty big increase for taxpayers to absorb for a new library when we already have one. I will vote NO.

JLO January 18, 2013 at 11:19 am

in today's electronic age...this is by far the BIGGEST waste of taxpayer money by people who only want a legacy to themselves. There is absolutely no reason to build a brick and mortar, Taj-Mahal edifice to themselves. When a majority of the general public has access to and gets their information on line. It's faster, it's always up to date, you don't have to dust it, clean it or pay for someone to watch over it while it's open. I say vote NO and then vote them out of office for not seeing this in the first place.

M&M January 18, 2013 at 01:27 pm

Read somewhere they spent $500,000 on the land.

Infamous Steve January 18, 2013 at 03:05 pm

I agree...people are dumb and easily confused. I believe they intentionally worded the question that way for that purpose. I'd like to know what has to be done to show them there is little to NO support for this library? People have to work and can't show up for their meetings. Maybe people should protest with a picket line...then maybe they would get the hint.

M&M January 18, 2013 at 10:03 pm

I have noticed that in the last two articles on this library, the pro library people have not posted any comments. Maybe their plan is to lay low and not bring any attention to what this is going to cost taxpayers. I would think that the more people knew the cost, the less likely they would be to vote for this. Infamous Steve, don't underestimate their numbers, they will turn out the vote, but the more people that know the cost, the better chance the NO vote will have.

train17 January 19, 2013 at 06:22 pm

They are asking us to approve a 361% tax increase for a building that will be primarily a baby sitting service, These same people called the new Shorewood Village Hall a TAJ MAHAL, yet they want even more for a library. VOTE NO PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

M&M January 19, 2013 at 11:04 pm

They say they need more room and more computers for people who don't have the internet at home, but the library they have now serves that function fine. What kind of computers do they want to buy? Mac computers, the most expensive computer out there. No, they do not have the majority of the taxpayers interest at heart. If they did, they wouldn't want to triple our library tax rate. Make sure you tell people the complete story, so they understand just how much this is going to cost.

nora January 20, 2013 at 03:16 am

Guess they would rather see more homes in Shorewood go thru foreclosure just so we can have another building like the TAJ MAHAL thats like a morgue when I go in there to pay my water bill. And then charge to watch a concert in the park there, lordy whats going on with the people that run this town????

M&M January 20, 2013 at 10:26 am

I have a question for the person or persons who drafted the Referendum question that will be on the ballot April 9. Why wasn't there even a mention of a new library being built and the cost of the new library? Am I missing something here? Will it be mentioned above the ballot question? Because if that is the only reason for this Referendum, it should be mentioned.

Shorewood Free Thinker January 21, 2013 at 02:31 pm

First, there was a question as to why a "pro library" comment wasn't made...Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I personally don't respond well to labels, whether it be "pro" or "con" anything - I simply want open and honest facts and figures that will allow me to decide if I'm willing to invest without all the hype and goading.
Second, did anyone commenting attend the public Town Hall they had, where the Library Board was there to answer questions? My husband and I were...we heard many comments and concerns...and also learned some things, which was more interesting than a scrooge fest. Third, it never ceases to amaze me, for example, how some residents with children who attend local public schools will be 100% for any property tax increases if there is a direct benefit to THEM, but will bad-mouth any tax paying resident with NO CHILDREN who opposes these increase...However, the retort is ALWAYS, "it's in the best interest of our community and future", but apparently, what's good for the goose... The bottom line is, I'm tired of all of the hypocrisy and hate, hate, hate...If the library is too expensive, then what are some alternatives? Are there additional grants and funding we can acquire to reduce the overall cost? If we want property values to increase, we need to draw in business and developers for tax revenues...and I might be completely wrong, but I doubt poor infrastructures, empty lots and old-ass buildings will draw them in...

wes mallady January 21, 2013 at 11:54 pm

I would hope a more reasonable undertaking would be looked at. We live in an age of electronic media and not putting books by the way side but let be real about this. We have a state that is going broke and will dump teacher pensions back on the homeowners and the local school districts so that will mean more taxes need to cover that and now they want to add this to our local tax bill and of course don't forget about your Obamacare bill that will come to each and everyone of us. If you ever go to the black road library you will find it mostly empty and under used. Just because a city next to you has something does not mean that we have to have it. What is wrong with going to black rd library? this the same way the whole country got into money trouble, the wants of a few has put the burden on the rest of us.

M&M January 22, 2013 at 12:06 am

Free thinker, you say you want open and honest facts and figures, yet you say nothing about the question I asked about the way the ballot question will be asked. Then you make a statement about the people commenting here whether or not they attended the meetings. So are you saying if people didn't attend these meetings, that they have no rights or no need to ask questions about this referendum over three months down the line? Sorry to tell you this, but we have every right as voters to question everything and will continue to do so, whether we attend the meetings or not. As far as your last statement, a library isn't a business, and the library we have now isn't an " old ass building ", its in good shape.

M&M January 22, 2013 at 01:11 pm

Wes, well said. I went to the shorewood library last spring and I was the only patron there. We are going to need that money for the taxes that are coming soon . This referendum we can control, most everthing else we can't. It's a shame the people who are to supposed to have the taxpayers best interest at heart have failed.

george January 22, 2013 at 08:09 pm

I know i will vote a big NO on this issue.

Zz February 16, 2013 at 03:18 pm

Move the town hall into the library....move library into town hall...problem solved. Most of our town hall is vacant.

Zz February 16, 2013 at 03:20 pm

Vote No

nora February 16, 2013 at 03:31 pm

That is the best idea I've heard so far. When I voted upstairs, looks like half of that room could be used for other employees. Town hall meetings don't need to video the entire room. Just how many full time employees work there? A library would fit downstairs.

Zz February 16, 2013 at 03:34 pm

I WILL VOTE NO

Common Sense March 25, 2013 at 12:42 pm

VOTE NO! people

Common Sense March 25, 2013 at 12:44 pm

Is anybody making signs that say "NO TO A NEW $21 mil LIBRARY"? If so I want a couple to post in my yard. And across the street from the library.

Chris April 4, 2013 at 09:50 am

Vote NO. I have a child and have been to the current library several times. It EMPTY of people. This is a waste of resources.

nora April 4, 2013 at 10:12 am

Got my water bill yesterday and the village now has a monthy $6 fee for rehab of the sewers. This will be on your bill every month. What perfect timing, VOTE NO,NO,NO

Common Sense April 4, 2013 at 11:42 am

Your right Nora, another fee after our village board bragged about not raising our sewer and water rates because of a deal with Joliet. My biggest problem with this up coming election is that Chapman is running unopposed for village president and most of the other positions are being ran by people who can't lose because there is only enough candidates to fill the positions. But I for one will be doing my best to vote incumbents out.
Does anybody know what it cost to build the Joliet Library on Black Road? For some reason I'm thinking it was like $5 million ran over another $5 million. I could be wrong though, I can't find the number anywhere on the web....Imagine that.... VOTING NO! NO! NO!

Common Sense April 4, 2013 at 11:47 am

Vacant as the heads of the people in it....
Lets all give resounding applauds to Chapman's vision to our Town Center......BOOOOOOOOOOOO Who builds a Town Center like Shorewood did? A Village Hall that looks like a mosque (for lack of anything else to call it) and then surrounds it with homes.

Infamous Steve April 4, 2013 at 01:33 pm

I agree...wish there was someone running against him that had a clue about the day to day struggle of the village residents.