. This packet presented in an Adobe PDF file format consists or more than 200 pages of documents that relate to what the city commission will be discussing this evening. The aagenda first two pages is the agenda. The library documents are on pages 167 to 170 and most PDF readers allow you to go directly to those pages.
This writer believes the total dollar amount and the per household dollar dollar amount are very agreeable. The money solution has been found. There are three aspects of every major purchase. There is the price or the money involved. The second and perhaps the trickiest aspect is the terms or how the item or service will be paid for. Interest free financing for no money down is a term. So is a ten page contract. The last aspect and perhaps the most crucial is the timing. Ice cream does not sell in winter but Campbell's Soup does. When you go the supermarket, your receipt, usually has printed coupons for some of items you just bought. To those uninitiated in the way of sales, money is always the factor. In reality, if a item is priced correctly most sales are lost to terms and bad timing.
If the City commission were to propose an end of June referendum to pay the Baldwin Library the $180 per household per year in annual assessment, this writer believes the issue would get the voter's approval immediately.The price is right. The terms are fair and summer is a great time to use the Baldwin Library in scenic downtown Birmingham.
The City has unfortunately chosen to go the millage route and will ask for .4 in the November election. To this writer that indicates a lack of imagination and foresight.
A millage issue on an item of choice is a bad term. In a millage the $180 dollar amount that is so attractive to everyone now becomes an average. Half below and half above.
Not only is a millage inequitable but it is a terrible way to sell a product. A millage is a tax and people taxes only because they have to. Residents at the high end of a millage for item of choice, total all their monthly costs and wonder if they will really get $45 monthly dollars of value out of a library that has no parking and is far way. Especially in November.
What's wrong with November? Everything. First of all the people have five months to think of reasons why they don't need a library. In November people think about the holidays and spending money on entertainment, travel, or gifts. In today's economy some even think of losing their jobs as companies cut back to make next year's budget. Bad economic or international news makes things worse. In Bloomfield Hills we will also have a divisive school issue on the ballot. Saying "no" will be presented as as the way to go.
This writer asked a city official about the library terms and was told the millage was the traditional way to pay for city services. Really ? In the days when the city had an agreement with the Bloomfield Township Library there was no millage. The money was taken from General funds.
In fact a library millage (even in good weather) has never passed in the city of Bloomfield Hills.
The City Planning commission also meet today at City Hall at 4pm.The Planning commission meeting agenda packet is available at Planning Commission Agenda Packet July 14th 2001.
No comments:
Post a Comment