Editorial: Measure M helps sustain our library

Sonoma County Ballot Measure M proposes a sales tax increase of one-eighth of one cent (0.125 percent), to fund the county libraries (including Sonoma’s).

The measure states that revenue collected from the tax shall be used only to supplement, and not supplant, existing library funding. Ninety-eight percent of library funding comes from property taxes.

A significant portion of the new funds would go toward restoring the libraries’ hours of operation, including Sonoma’s, which were cut by 25 percent because of the great recession. The recession reduced the amount of property taxes collected in our county.

The argument in favor of Measure M notes that our libraries serve nearly 500,000 residents. Or this includes 11 full-service libraries, two rural stations, a specialized wine library, and a genealogy and local history collection. Two million people visit Sonoma County libraries annually. These county citizens check out more than 3 1/2 million books, DVDs, audio books and eBooks. More than 62,000 children attend story times, events and educational classes every year.

If the measure passes, and when the state raises the sales tax cap to allow its implementation, it would be in place for a maximum of 10 years. In that period it is estimated that it will raise between $8 million and $10 million.

Sonoma Valley’s library, located on West Napa Street, has strong local support. It has received donations from many local residents which are used to supplement some of its offerings and programs. By law these kinds of donations cannot be used for salaries and other general operational budget items. They can be used for improvements in the building, reading rooms, special book collections and other non-salary related additions to the existing services.

Earlier this month it was announced that the Jane Kunde, a member of the Kunde wine family, left our local library $700,000.This generous donation is another measure of how we value our Sonoma Valley library.

Jane Kunde knew that libraries are about more than just books. They are about our community and our support of a well-informed, well-read society, interested in the appreciation and preservation for the written word. They are about the education of our children and for passing on the history and wisdom of our best and brightest from one generation to another. I believe she would have supported Measure M.

I will vote for Measure M because libraries matter. That Sonoma’s is one of the best and most community supported in the county speaks to its quality, and worthiness of our continued support.