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Maybe he saw that the commission had a majority of votes to increase the library tax rate last fall.
Some of that was found by budget office staffers when they found, upon review, about $8.5 million that had been charged to the Northeast library system’s operating budget that should have been charged to the capital budget. But what would have happened if they weren’t looking for that? Could there be other financial “typos” and scrivener’s errors causing millions to be miscategorized?
Read related story — Libraries saved: Carlos Gimenez performs another magic trick
He and other commissioners have wondered if maybe we pay our librarians too much. The average salary for a librarian last year was $63,000, which is slightly above the national average of $55,370 in May 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ladra might have the mayor and his pocket commissioners question, instead, if maybe we pay too many attorneys too much or too much to our mayoral staff or too much to multiple department directors, some of whom are paid twice — through their pension and again in salary when they are rehired — and some of whose duties appear to overlap.
But while Gimenez turns a deaf ear, Ladra believes that there are a majority of commissioner with perfect hearing. Commissioners Bruno Barreiro, Barbara Jordan, Rebeca Sosa and Xavier Suarez have publicly said they want to support libraries. Ladra thinks that Commissioners Audrey Edmonson, Jean Monestime, Dennis Moss and Sally Heyman — whose new library in Aventura would likely become a warehouse if not funded properly — would vote for an increase in the library tax rate.
Commissioners Javier Souto and Esteban Bovo have dug their heels in, like the mayor, on the “no new taxes” line. Commisioner Juan Zapata told Ladra he won’t vote for any tax increase while he still sees so much waste everywhere and that he doesn’t trust the numbers. Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz is more concerned with the 230-some police positions that are being eliminated and wants to see a full restoration of fire rescue services. And Vice Chair Lynda Bell is in a heated race to keep her seat, so — like she has done before when she sees the writing on the wall — she may vote for a higher library tax if she sees the votes are already there. I mean, it’s not like her opponent — who has championed the library cause — would use it against her. But Ladra also hears Bell is being pressured by Gimenez — who can help her with fundraising and votes — to stand their ground.
The current rate only brings in about $30 million, since the mayor lowered it to hike the general tax rate without having to increase the overall tax rate and letting the public know — wink, wink. Because libraries 
don’t have other sources of revenue, the tax rate is the only thing that they can survive on.
Ladra agrees that storefront libraries in spaces that pay market rent should perhaps relocate to government offices or facilities — maybe even the commissioners’ own district offices. And that the task force didn’t try hard enough to find creative secondary sources of revenue in a world gone mad with branding and sponsorship opportunities. We have a captive audience of thousands. You’re telling me nobody wants to reach them?
But these are long term solutions that need time and brain matter — and out-of-the-box thinking from whoever the new director is — not the quick fixes (read: slash and burn cuts) that Gimenez prefers.
Barreiro told Ladra he might even move to increase the library tax rate when commissioners meet on July 15 to look at the budget together for the first time and set tentative tax rates.
Keyword: Tentative. Commissioners need to know that they must give themselves some wiggle room because they can always go down, but they can never go up.
That’s not bold. That’s just smart. Because he’s been listening to the people.
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[…] From men and women who believe the full faith and credit of the United States is to be ignored to a Miami-Dade County mayor who said last year we don’t need to pay for libraries because we have the Internet, these are […]
To further disenfranchise those already economically disenfranchised is callous. Many of the residents who utilize the libraries don’t even pay property taxes because they can’t afford homes. The paradigm of folks not willing to pay a nominal increase of 20$ to fund library services is fallacious. It really boils down to a moral question as to what kind of community Miami-Dade is going to be. To pull the rug out from beneath people who rely on their libraries to utilize egovernment resources, job search resources, resume building, training on how to use technology, early literacy initiatives for harried parents who often work two jobs to make ends meet, and to offer safe places for our youth isn’t a question of “bean counting;” it’s a question of kindness and a question of offering assistance to those who need it most. Libraries have been a beacon of hope for the less fortunate and for the newly arrived to our great nation since the 19th century. To remove that beacon for those without a voice seems irresponsible at best. Where will these people turn? What government service will offer them in-kind services? What will the cost be to our civic health?
As I sat amongst thousands awaiting the July 4th fireworks display, I realized that those around me had exerted so much effort: facing potential downpours, traffic, mosquitos, plus high humidity in order to participate in this patriotic bonding experience. So many hold this annual ritual dear. While it would have been much easier to fire up the home barbeque and watch the spectacle on television, the authenticity and the sense of community, is what we seek. That’s why the public library means so much, to so many. At the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Panel discussing libraries, I watched Mayor Gimenez hold up his IPad and equate it to an entire library. That makes as much sense as watching virtual fireworks from a computer screen saver.
copy of email sent to Commissioners:
Mayor Gimenez has created a horrible and unpardonable situation for the children and citizens of Miami-Dade. He, and he alone, is responsible for the destruction of OUR Library system.
A system that was a Nationally recognized Award Winner. And it received this title BEFORE Gimenez was mayor. He came in and, like a thief, he took out HALF of the Library’s budget (slashing the millage to .17)
WHY? WHY would ANYONE tamper with what was working so well and for so long?
Do not be taken along for the death ride by Gimenez. Anyone that cannot see the beauty and benefits of Libraries to a people, does not deserve to lead and rule over those people in any way.
Set the Library’s millage at .49 –that is the least that can be done to enable the Library system to recover from the knockout blow that Gimenez cruelly gave it when he came into office. Our Libraries are the most noble, sacred, and USEFUL services of our county. For over half a century, the citizens have NEVER complained about the Library’s millage, in fact, we WANT to pay for OUR Libraries!!!
ONE HALF of 1% is such a tiny, tiny part of the 4 BILLION dollar budget. Leave it alone!!!
You were elected to be on the County Commission to do what is best for the people of the county. I cannot imagine that you are in any way ignorant in not knowing that Libraries are most needed when the economy, and the community, is struggling. We NEED Our Libraries!!
LET US PAY FOR OUR LIBRARIES!!!!! (In fact, we need MORE Libraries, as our county grows in number.)
Most importantly, we need Our Libraries to be OPEN ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!!! And staffed with highly trained and qualified personnel. When you seek answers and information, don’t you want it to be from the highest trained, most knowledgeable person? Or do you seek professional advice from just anyone? Librarians are the gurus, and tech experts of our society.
Do what you KNOW is the right thing: Set the Library’s millage to .49
Leave well enough alone!
Ladra should also correct error about the funding sources for most of the expansions and renovations, 2000-2013. Most were funded from the library taxing district, not from GO Bonds.
Can the librarians of MDPLS spend $64 million effectively and prudently? Gimenez says he has doubts. But the librarians have already (and recently) demonstrated that they can. When they had the proper support, MDPLS raised “items circulated” from 6 million to 9 million. They know how to do it.
See below for actual and projected items circulated and patron contacts. Projected were estimated when the library had a real budget, but Gimenez, by cutting budgeted expenses, cut services.
2006-2013
Materials Borrowed/Items Check Out:
(Includes materials circulated – print, audio, video, e-books – plus In-House Usage, and PC Usage.
Actual Projection
(From 2011-16StrategicPlan)
Year ending Sept 2006 6,760,531
Year ending Sept 2007 7,582,519
Year ending Sept 2008 7,834,828
Year ending Sept 2009 8,900,065
Year ending Sept 2010 9,224,050
Year ending Sept 2011 8,132,818 9,685,253
Year ending Sept 2012 6,718,933 10,169,516
Year ending Sept 2013 6,143,818 10, 677,992
Patron Contacts/Total Number of Customer Contacts
(Sum of Door Count, Virtual Door Count, Attendance at Programs, and Informational Questions Answered)
Actual Projection (From SP 2011-2016)
Year ending Sept 2006 14,280,995
Year ending Sept 2007 18,503,964
Year ending Sept 2008 17,766,708
Year ending Sept2009 20,838,488
Year ending Sept2010 23,026,231
Year Ending Sept 2011 22,155,529 24,177,543
Year Ending Sept 2012 18,903,907 25,386,420
Year Ending Sept 2013 17,487,653 26,655,741