Public libraries are the hearts of their communities. They serve people of every age, income level, ethnicity and physical ability, providing services vital to literacy, civic education and technology access. Although the word public implies libraries are fully funded by the government, the 11 independent public libraries in Sussex County are not. In fact, they must raise between 13% and 52% of their operating costs each year.
Sussex County supports its independent libraries through a small library tax based on property value ($9.20 per year for a $400,000 property, for example). This tax has not kept pace with the explosive increase in population and demand for library services in our county. The results can be seen in some libraries shortening their hours, having to rely more on volunteers for tasks traditionally performed by professionals and diverting considerable staff time to fundraising in order to cover operating expenses.
We have respectfully asked Sussex County Council to raise the library tax from $0.0023 to $0.0046 per $100 of property value, an increase that amounts to less than the cost of a few cups of coffee per year for each household (even for a property worth $1 million, the increase only amounts to $23 per year). This will ensure that our independent libraries can continue to meet the needs of Sussex County.
Modern libraries are more than books. They provide resources that homeschoolers rely on, public computers for people who can’t afford them, meeting space for support groups and help for people struggling to do their taxes, apply for a job or register for Medicare. Libraries are also a cornerstone for literacy, which is a fundamental determinant of the quality of life, and offer valued programs for children, teens and adults.
For these reasons and more, we need to ensure that our independent libraries can continue to meet the needs of Sussex County.
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to viewpoints@capegazette.com. All letters are considered at the discretion of the newsroom and published as space allows. Due to the large volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt of each submission. Letters must include a phone number and address for verification. Keep letters to 400 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content or length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Letters should focus on local issues, not national topics or personalities. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days regarding a particular topic. Authors may submit a second letter within that time period if it pertains to a different issue. Letters may not be critical of personalities or specific businesses. Criticism of public figures is permissible. Endorsement letters for political candidates are no longer accepted. Letters must be the author’s original work, and may not be generated by artificial intelligence tools. Templates, form letters and letters containing language similar to other submissions will not be published.
