A large attendance is expected at the first public meeting on Tauranga City Council's proposal to introduce charges on some library books, being held lunchtime, Thursday.
Meeting organiser Vanessa Byrnes says a Campbell Live television crew is spending an entire day in the city covering the issue because they realise it could have implications for all New Zealanders.
Campaign organiser vanessa Byrnes.
Vanessa will speak first at the meeting, followed by Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby and then it will be open to the public.
"It's time to throw this ridiculous proposal out the window."
The meeting will be held at 12.30pm at the Elizabeth Street Community Centre, opposite the Yoga Centre by the flag roundabout, at 169 Elizabeth Street.
5 comments
Cut bureaucracy, NOT community services
Posted on 01-04-2010 16:15 | By SpeakUp
A reduction of public spending has to start with a reduction of bureaucracy that feeds off ratepayers and not with important services like the library. We can do with less councilors but we cannot afford reduction of learning, education and culture. To look at the library as leisure-time pursuit center fails to realize the important societal role a library plays. Also, once the council charges for library service they will of course increase theses charges. This expensive and often self-serving local administration has become unsustainable. Ratepayers are reeling under ever-increasing rates. Reduction of bureaucracy is imperative. And because Council will not tighten its own belt WE will have to do it with our vote. "A nation of sheep will be governed by wolves." ---Edward R. Murrow---
5 sentences that should be compulsory learning at school:
Posted on 09-04-2010 11:11 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
5 sentences that should be compulsory learning at school: (and which the correspondents to this column have sorely missed out on comprehending due to the government monopoly on the education system) You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the rich out of prosperity What 1 person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving The government or council cannot give to anybody anything that the government or council does not first take from somebody else. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it. You cannot tax a nation into prosperity and you cannot borrow yourself out of debt
library charges
Posted on 01-04-2010 13:47 | By rbicclot
A charge on books is going to make it very difficult for anyone on a limited income. At the moment because of an accident reading is one of the few things I can do as my mobitily is very restricted. Being a pensioner a charge for books will take that small pleasure away. At the present I read an average of 6 - 8 books a week. Boredom would set in very quickly and my rate of hopeful recovery would be set back considerably. We pay for libraries in our rates, my husband does not borrow books so his opinion is that he would therefore be entitled to a reductiion on his share of the rates. Isabel
go Vanessa
Posted on 01-04-2010 19:34 | By eunice s
Good on Vanessa for keeping libraries paid for by rates, not book charges. I think 6 million a year is about right and I think the staff there should be well paid. Cut the other council staff wages but leave libraries alone. Take the money from ther art gallery and sports fields and give it to libraries. My landlord is rich and I know can afford rates, but I look forward to my free reading.
shame on you
Posted on 08-04-2010 17:22 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
EuniceS - what a terrible thing to say! - . . . My landlord is rich and I know can afford rates, but I look forward to my free reading. ALSO you say . . . Take the money from the art gallery and sports fields and give it to libraries. Dont you realise what you are saying? What about the people who like sports and art galleries? You are saying Stuff them - what I want is more important! How about THIS . . . Council remove the cost of running libraries and sports and art galleries from the rates. Your landlord wont have to charge so much rent, and others wont have to pay so much rates you can spend all the money you save on books or whatever you want Those who value sports and art galleries can spend theirs on sports or art galleries That way EVERYBODY is happy, and nobody gets robbed in the process, and the only people unhappy are those who want to mind other peoples business and tell them what they should be doing with their money. - and those who think rich people should be robbed to pay for things they want for free - shame on you
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