The Bush Telegraph (not online) reports tonight that one of the local dens of taxpayer theft that rape my wallet as a ratepayer, Tararua District Council, is about to rescind a decision that was made six years ago supposedly in the name of efficiencies.
You see, they decided in their wisdom, that users could pay for their libraries to the tune of $10 per year.
Users since that fateful day have voted with their feet - a 55% decline in adult users. I was one of them. I feel that local libraries are a service that rates should fund. Rather than gold plating the streets with fancy pavers for example.
The decision will be put out for the unwashed to consider in next year's Draft Annual Plan, as will be opening hours that might actually suit those in the community.
I look forward to the proposed change and will be in to check if the book stock has changed since I was last there. Who knows, I might even get to see a certain politician reading bedtime stories about dead rats to that other dying breed, education unionists.
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“Think” Boy?
36 minutes ago
3 comments:
Do the citizens of Tararua District need a library at all? Wikipedia provides research material for those who need it and the illiterate many have TV etc for entertainment.
Faversham.
Faversham,
One part of me says absolute no in answer to your question. The cobwebs in my wallet part says no to any taxation for socialist services.
But in light of my own life experience, it is from free access to a wide range of books through the local libraries as a child and youth that I have been able to expand my horizons.
I have also witnessed where such access has not been utilised, possibly because of underlying literacy issues, resulted in very different outcomes in life.
Whilst some of the decline may be due to the now wide availability of the Net, nothing beats a good read on whatever topic.
For those that wish to remain entertained by other means, as you allude to, there are a multitude of different medias other than books.
Unfortunately, those that consume such different media, in the main, remain largely illiterate. Hence my support for free books at local libraries.
I do agree but nothing is ever "free." All things are costing somebody at any given time. The access to books is akin to an access to oxygen, but is it obligatory for others to provide this?
Faversham.
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