Measure O

Brooks Firestone of the SB County Board of Supervisors representing District Three wrote yesterday about the local initiative, Measure O. This measure seeks to appropriate funding for the County Library branch located in Vandenberg Village:

Measure O is a benefit assessment that, if passed, will provide very necessary funding for the Vandenberg Village Library. The great thing about this tax is that all your money will stay local!

The Village Library has struggled with funding for years. The Board of Supervisors recognized this in the most recent budget cycle and approved $18,000 intended to cover the Library's shortfall and prevent cutting back the already limited hours the library is able to be open. But, now it is up to the voters to decide.

Voting for Measure O will bring more programs, new services, and extended hours to your library branch. But it is up to you.

I'm sympathetic. The Village Library is old, it's run-down and struggles as it is keeping the doors open. But this kills me:

The great thing about this tax is that all your money will stay local!

Sorry, no. There is no 'great thing' about this or any other tax assessment. Not after seeing my annual tax assessment in the last couple of weeks.

Not when my ballot is also chock-full of bond initiatives for the State as well as a plethora of other bond initiatives seeking tax increases from me for one thing or another--culminating in that steaming pile of garbage known as Prop. 87. Let's not forget also County Measure D, yet another sales tax increase to fund transportation projects that the original Measure D was supposed to fund and complete neary 20 years ago.

Uh uh...kids can come to my house if they need a book to read.