Any Bedford DUers? What's up with your library?

National officials decry library's closing
Bedford shut down multiple city facilities amid shortfall following tax rollback

07:03 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 5, 2005

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA-TV


The president of the American Library Association was in Bedford Tuesday, trying to reopen a city library closed because of budget cuts.

The city shut its library to save money after a tax revolt. To solve the problem, supporters will be asked to open their checkbooks.

Currently, patrons can return books but they can't check any out - and they're disappointed.

"It's amazing to me we would close a library in this city."
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/wfaa050405_am_bedfordlibfolo.1abc19fd6.html

The WFAA video shows a sign someone taped to the libary window (NOT a library official) blaming those who voted for the tax roll back. They go in on such a tight close up you can only read a few words, but it looks like whoever made that sign is none too happy. What's the word on the street there? Are people sorry they voted for the roll back? Are people sorry they didn't bother to vote?

The citizens of Bedford bitched and complained about the property tax rate so much that the city rolled it back. Bedford closed the library, most swimming pools and a few parks.

The State of Texas is also going to roll back property taxes by funding schools with sales and other taxes, taking the burden off local municipalities' property owners. It's very regressive like most Republican plans.

Be careful what you ask for, you might get it . . .

I'm curious if this will wake some people up. There surely must be 11 library patrons who didn't even bother to vote, because it never makes any difference. There are probably even 11 library patrons who did vote for the roll back who liked the idea of lower property taxes but never dreamed there would be any negative consequences that would personally affect them.

I grew up in Hurst, about a quarter of a mile from the border of Bedford, but I still live and work pretty close. I remember seeing signs and bumper stickers about it, but I wasn't ever clear about what the situation was. My understanding was that the property tax rollback was supposed to happen in conjunction with an increase in sales tax (another fun regressive tactic).

In a sense, I can't blame the people in Bedford. Their property tax has been really high since Bedford pushed really hard to develop itself in the late 80s and early 90s. And ever since it has tried to compete with its more wealthy neighbors like Euless, Colleyville and Grapevine.

The part of the city above 183 is very nice, while the part below 183 (near where I lived in Hurst) is much lower income. Bedford has a habit of spending more of its revenue in the upper part of town and ignoring a lot of the lower part. It's not really hard to understand the wealthier side wanting to reduce their own taxes, and it's not hard to understand the poorer side wanting to reduce their taxes since they are paying for development projects they don't see. It was a convergence of support from groups with very different interests.

I don't think the people there thought the city would do that, and really the city didn't have to. It could have trimmed back some of its projects aimed at further developing the nicer parts of town. But that's the double effect of a very obvious right-wing policy. Rollback taxes and kill public services like libraries and public pools. I could almost guarantee that every program to "beautify" the wealthier parts of town haven't been cut at all or have only seen marginal cuts.

I was curious. Welcome to DU! :hi:

I live in Arlington and work in Irving.

:hi:

Thanks for the info on Bedford.

Last year's rate was .389 per $100. The city council raised it to .495 per $100 triggering the possibility of a rollback election and that's what happened.

If the average home value in Bedford is $100,000 (might be a bit high) the old rate would be $389 a year in city property taxes and the new rate would have been $495. With the successful rollback, the rate went to .42 or so, the most allowed by Texas law.

Even .495 per $100 for city taxes sounds like a deal to me. My little piss ant North Texas town has a rate of .69999 per $100 and we don't even have a city library, but we do have a shiney new $325,000 giraffe house at the rinky-dinky zoo which is a pet project of the local "rich" people.

The population (including the city council and the mayor) is always split 50-50 between conservatives and moderates. Each side seems to take turns getting and losing power. Unfortunately, there is only a small liberal faction, so my wife and I vote with the moderates. This recent election, as close as it was, was a significant victory for the conservatives who vote against any and all taxes, no matter what the cost.

... gave Bedford $300,000 to re-open closed facilities in the city until the new fiscal year begins in October. Employees at the activity center at the park who were laid off were re-hired. However, the library will be open only about 20 hours per week. The water park, Splash, will be open 5 days a week.

The City Council election is on May 7th. It should be interesting.

all kick the current city councilmembers out of office...

It's a shame it was necessary, though. Let us know what happens with the elections.

The local neo-cons, who oppose taxes at all cost, won both open seats in the city council race. We have an aging population here in Bedford. Few new families with kids. The old folk - who don't use the library, water park, or schools - are apparently reluctant to fund them. However, Bedford does not have the industrial or retail tax base that our neighbors in Euless and Hurst have. About all Bedford has is residential housing. Property values are already being impacted. The two Neanderthals who were elected have been in office here before, and it will be just a matter of time before they are voted out of office again. Meanwhile, all we can do is minimize the damage.