Why Is The Great Falls Library Funding At Risk?

Did You Know The First Public Library Was Established In America In 1833?

From the Huntsville Texas History of Libraries:

"The first free public library in the United States was established in 1833 in Peterborough, New Hampshire. It was supported by a municipal tax."

So, since the very beginning, libraries in America, whether in a big city or a small town, have been funded by taxes, like mill levies.

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How Much Is A Mill?

From KTVH: "Each mill is $1 per $1,000 of taxable value."

Why The Lesson On Libraries And Mills?

Because the City of Great Falls has taken it upon themselves to renegotiate the mills afforded the Great Falls Public Library we voted for last year.

Just when the Great Falls Public Library was adding the services we've wanted in the library for years, the city wants to pull it away to put it towards the safety levy that was voted down last year.

What EXACTLY Can You Burn In A Backyard Firepit In Great Falls?

It reminds me of when Montana voted yes on marijuana, the state said no, we voted yes again, and then Julie Bass and her gang tried to get the yes vote overturned, and AGAIN we said we wanted legal marijuana.  Remember that?

How Much Does Great Falls Want To Allocate To Safety?

Basically, it shakes down to this:

The library getting LESS money than we allocated with the mill levy vote for the next 2 years.  Then, the city takes the money the library should have gotten and puts it toward the safety levy we voted down, and the LIBRARY GETS NOTHING.

Thing is, that amount of money only works out to about 6% of the money needed for public safety. And it DESTROYS all the good we just did for the library with our votes. (The Library Mill Levy was a much smaller ask than the safety levy, that's why the number is so ridiculous when allocated to safety.)

The City Is Within Their Rights To Renegotiate

Like my mom always says, just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Two things I need you to consider:

An uneducated society is easy to rule

Libraries ARE public safety.  You know it, I know it.  Why are we doing this?

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