LIBRARIES: Spending priorities

I read the opinion May 17 piece by Michele Veale entitled “The True Value of Libraries.” I know Michele, since I also served as a Community Library Network Trustee and yes, our libraries should be liberally supported and they are of great value to the community. Most people would agree, but that is not the controversy.

The problem with CLN is that like any government organization that is not being actively observed by the public, the agenda can quickly become distorted by CLN’s desires. CLN has been operating under the radar for many years with trustees being appointed without elections, and with little public input during budget hearings. This has resulted in the following.

CLN has taken the maximum 3 percent plus growth tax increase since at least 1995! The top six people at the library make more combined than what is spent on books each year. The salary line will increase about 55.6 percent in 2017 compared to 2011. The increase in taxes received has grown more than $1 million per year in the last six years, with the vast majority going to the salary line.

North Idaho College, Kootenai County and the school district aren’t (can’t) taking the full 3 percent plus growth every year. So are librarians more important than school teachers, sheriff deputies, or the harried government workers at DMV?

The question is not whether libraries are important, but are they more important than other agencies that deserve our attention?

GLEN K. SEELY

Coeur d’Alene

Editor’s note: The Post Falls library joined the network during the 2011 fiscal year. When it did, 27 employees were added and the network’s overall budget increased 30 percent. According to network officials, the budget reflects a total salary line increase from FY 11 to FY 17 of 47.09 percent, with an increase in health benefit costs of 110.6 percent over the same period.