At a time when the economy is struggling to recover, a strange trend is sweeping all levels of American government. Our political leaders are blind to change and progress, and they cling uncritically to obsolete ways.
Consider Aurora. On July 13, the City Council voted to refer a ballot measure that could more than double the budget of Aurora city libraries. But it would do so at great expense to all residents. The cost of the measure would be at least $60 million over the next five years. Should we allow the city to drastically increase our taxes and the libraries funding at this time?
There has been no discussion of alternatives or the changes coming. Internet search engines already make available what will certainly become the world’s greatest library. It will be made available online, mostly free or for a nominal price (for the books that are still under the copyright protection). Google already has more than 12 million books in digital form! and Microsoft are also preparing their own online libraries.
All of these developments will likely force every municipal library around the world to re-invent itself. At the July 13 testimony, one councilman said his father was a newspaper man, his mother was a teacher and he “will not allow the libraries to be thrown into the dust bin of history!” Such an attitude is laughable. Progress does not ask permission from the Aurora City Council; it just happens!
The Luddites of the early 1800s destroyed mechanized wool and cotton looms in a futile attempt to stop the Industrial Revolution. The eventual outcome of this movement was failure, while the Industrial Revolution created hundreds of millions of new jobs and brought unprecedented levels of prosperity to the world.
Poet and philosopher George Santayana said “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The Aurora City Council cannot stop the technological progress, but it can make the citizens of Aurora poor. It is sad to see that once again the lessons of the past are not being learned. To double the budget of the Aurora City Library in this economy is a terrible idea.
Please vote “no” on your mail-in ballot in October in opposition to this bad idea.
Greg Golyansky is vice chairman of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers.
