PRESS RELEASE – issued October 9, 2020
I am asking for the Library Board to hit pause on the New Central Library, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to consider the current situation that Saskatoon is in.
I don’t believe that a standalone library of this stature should be built. In this digital age, I think a more conservative structure should be envisioned and I think that structure should be shared so that it ties into other usage groups to help foster a higher level of activity throughout the day and evening. The most inefficient building for the city to build and maintain is a standalone structure. Some of the most successful branch libraries in Saskatoon share space alongside other amenities such as a swimming pool or a hockey rink, for example. A new joint-use library in the Holmwood – Brighton area that is linked to the proposed joint-use high schools and leisure centre would see support from me.
A lot of mayoral candidates and current councillors voice concerns over the proposed new library. Weeks back, I mentioned ‘force majeure’ and since then, this has been repeated by others. But still, not much more substance exists from anyone. So again, I will lead from the front.
Lots of people talk about how this new library is too far gone to stop. Well, not even close. Poor decisions by a previous City Council will not limit my ability to do the right thing for the citizens of Saskatoon. The “oh well, not my problem, it was before my time” answer won’t be what I live by as Mayor.
If this new downtown grand library is supposed to offer great spaces and these inviting meeting rooms to draw people in, why not best take advantage of that so that they coexist with other stakeholder groups which would use that facility more often. Is that not in our best interest?
Immediately, I would halt any borrowing for the library and I would work to stop the library from taking another 5 million dollars next year out of city coffers to put into their reserves. City Council approval is required for Saskatoon Public Library’s budget.
Lots of talk is made each year about how the library will be allowed to ‘take’ a little more money in taxes. An incremental amount is mentioned, but it fails to indicate the entire amount already extracted that is not needed for operations. For the 2020 budget, the library proposed $27,192,800 in revenue and the exact same in expenditures. The expenditures include $4,967,500 of money simply taken from taxpayers transferred into a reserve fund that is not needed for operations. That is added to the $4,327,500 taken in 2019 and the further $5,607,500 already proposed for 2021.
What does this mean to the average taxpayer? For a residential building in 2020, 5.97% of the total property tax bill is library tax. For my home, the library tax is $215. Broken down by the library’s budgeted expenditures, it would equate to $176 paid for the salaries and operating costs of the library and a further $39 transferred to funds/reserves. For a $1,000,000 commercial property, that would be $876 paid in library taxes for 2020 which includes $159 for the library reserve. In what world do you feel that, after years of slowly increasing tax revenues, the Library Board is likely to want to reduce this taxation once a new library is finally built? Most likely they will want to expand to spend every dollar taken instead of reducing their budgets.
The Functional Program Summary Report indicates a provision for a reconciliation and Indigenous Learning Circle Space. Surely that must also mean that this building should be located closer to where many Indigenous community members reside? Or is that all just for show and talk but not really for action?
The city is operating in an emergency situation that this pandemic has created and it seems that some city administration and definitely the Library Board are oblivious to the actual reality on the ground. The Library Board already has enough money to continue with their planning for a structure and it takes years to complete drawings of this nature and to get building permits to start full construction. My asking for one year of reprieve so that we can look at the hardships that are hitting our society and our citizens should not be a big ask from the Library Board.
The library will never be a money-making proposition. The repeated claims that the library will create economic activity is a false statement. The library takes taxpayer funds that were economically generated in our city to provide a service. They are not in the hospitality industry, so this talk of creating another destination is a blind vision by a Board that wants their own monument to bookend the other taxpayer funded monument (the Remai Modern) at the other end of 2nd Avenue. Using the same people to sell taxpayers the same promises made for the Remai is becoming thin fast.
The Library Board and CEO seem ambivalent towards the concerns of average people in this city. The staff compensation level at the library averages at $89,733 per full time equivalent. Of course, many do not make this amount of money. The CEO makes just over $190,000 a year. At just over $15,800 per month, the Library CEO isn’t too worried about the same concerns as the average citizen. Nor are the library managers and directors really worried about paying more property tax to cover another excessive civic structure.
If they persist with this game that it is their turn and, do or die, they will get their money and library, they should hope that I am not elected to head this city. I will be a loud voice against this if I am elected Mayor and it is my hope that many councillors will agree with my view in this emergency situation. As far as failing maintenance issues with the current library building, if the Library Board properly managed their facility over the long term, these issues would always be properly funded and maintained.
Also, the irreplaceable special collections should be stored elsewhere immediately, as there is no current fire protection. If you buy a car and drive it without oil changes or new tires, who’s fault is a breakdown later on the road? There is no indication that this Library Board will physically manage a brand-new building any different than the older one they siphoned money away from. If they had put some of the millions that they already took from taxpayers into the existing structure they have, would we even be talking about a new library?
I am not afraid to do the right thing for Saskatoon. We can promote the library service and still feel that this particular library proposal is unfair to taxpayers, especially in a pandemic!
My name is Cary Tarasoff and I want to serve you as Mayor of Saskatoon.
There’s work to be done!