RD is beginning his Library push tonight at the BOA meeting. We do not need a Library renovation and cannot afford it. Let's see the "leaders" on the BOA cave as usual....NO !
Their refrain for justifying the renovation will be - "You are taking books away from our children!" - while our school system is moving to electronic books - go figure!
Went to the library today returned my overdue book checked out a couple of more, its a great facility with great helpful staff. I just don't see the need to tear down part of the building (Newer wing) to rebuild it. why cant they just renovate, and upgrade and at the most add another floor to the new part. I am sure it could be done for less than 40 million they are proposing. I am a regular library user but I would vote against an override for what they are currently putting forward.
The debt would, it appears, require a debt exclusion from the Prop 2-1/2 cap, which would require a vote like an override. The main difference is that it's only for the life of the bond, which is many years of course....
No, the library project would not fall with the the limited exceptions for public approval of a debt exclusion - just like the voters had to approve the debt exclusion for the middle school:
For a few limited capital purposes, a community may assess taxes above the amount of its levy limit or levy ceiling
without voter approval. Otherwise, special debt and capital outlay expenditure exclusions are like voter approved
exclusions. The amount of the special exclusion is only added to the levy limit or ceiling for a temporary period of
time, and does not become part of the base upon which the levy limit is calculated for future years.
One special debt exclusion allows a community to add water and sewer project debt service costs to its levy limit
or levy ceiling for the life of the debt, as long as it reduces water and sewer rates by the same amount. The water
and sewer debt exclusion is adopted by a majority vote of the community’s selectmen, or town or city council (with
the mayor’s approval if required by law) and may include all or part of existing and subsequently authorized water
and sewer debt or just the residential share of that debt.
Another special debt or capital outlay expenditure exclusion applies if a community has a program to assist homeowners
to repair or replace faulty septic systems, remove underground fuel storage tanks or remove dangerous
levels of lead paint in order to meet public health and safety code requirements. Under the program, the board of
health and the homeowner agree that the board may contract with third parties to perform the work, and the homeowner
will repay the community for all project costs. Homeowners may make the repayment by having a portion of
the repair costs, with interest, added to their property tax bills for up to 20 years. The community may automatically
add to its levy limit or levy ceiling the amount appropriated, or the amount of the debt service costs on any
borrowing for the program.
http://www.mass.gov/dor/docs/dls/publ/misc/levylimits.pdf