Don't Be Fooled

A 40% property tax increase is not a solution.		 Ten Good Reasons To
 SAVE AURORA HOMES
Vote NO this November 
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This November, residents will be asked to vote on a proposal to create a General Improvement District (GID) within Aurora providing dedicated funding for the Aurora Public Library System. The Library presently receives some $5,500,000 from the General Fund and other sources. The Ballot issue as proposed seeks $12,514,000, more than double! That’s a LOT of salaries, salary increases, and movie stock!  The proposed GID includes about 93% of the City (see map) and will increase property taxes 46%. The current City of Aurora 10.664 mill levy (property tax) will increase 4.29 mills making owning, renting and doing business in Aurora more costly.

Filed Campaign Finance Act Violation w SOS

Also, visit http://citizensforresponsibleauroragovernment.com for more information.

Here are ten good reasons to
VOTE NO to SAVE AURORA HOMES
this November
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  1 - Reduced city revenue made Libraries the scapegoat.  The City Council and City Manager arbitrarily made a decision to slash library funding, thus creating a perceived crisis with maintaining libraries.

 

2 - Expected Library cuts.  In this age of the internet, the city wants to EXPAND the brick and mortar library structure and all the attendant expenses associated with maintaining all the branch facilities.

  
 

3 - How Aurora Compares to Similar Front Range Library Systems:  Six years ago, before all the budget cutting:
According to the most recent Colorado Library Association Survey (2003), comparing Colorado libraries serving 100,000 or more users, Aurora ranked dead LAST in the percentage of open library hours for evening and weekend use. 68% of the budget is presently spent on library salaries. The same study ranked Aurora Last of use of library facilities per capita. On Circulation per Capita, Aurora ranked 11th worst of 12 libraries surveyed. On Public Use-Programs per 1,000 residents, Aurora rated 151 per 1,000 vs Denver at 436 per 1,000.

 

Denver Post Article

Aurora Sentinel Article

Your Hub - Aurora Citizens Can Not Afford 4A

Your Hub - Citizen Opposed to Aurora's Tax Increase

Your Hub - Wake Up: City Property Tax Increases 40%

 
 

4 - The result of voting NO on this property tax increase:
- Your city property tax will be 40% lower than if passed
- Your property taxes will NOT get an automatic increase without your vote
- The property tax on your home or business in Aurora will NOT increase to maintain the $12.5 million dollar baseline, even if your assessed property value decreases
  5 - A No VOTE will prevent shifting existing library funds to other city departments that will be beneficiaries of this property tax increase.  City libraries will be forced to operate in a more efficient manner
  6 - Libraries Are An Investment in Our Community and Future.  We have already paid and made the investment.  We ought to take care to maintain our main library facilities, which we will be able to do without this increase.  With more and more folks utilizing the internet to do research, gather information and network, library usage will continue to taper off.  
 

7 - Library Demand Is Up, Up, and Up?  Nonsense.
The trend nationwide is not to expand and open new library branches which require duplication of staffing and materials, but rather to consolidate. Instead of the existing and opening more branches, why not:

a) A larger expanded Central Library properly stocked and staffed with a larger research department additional computers, and offering expanded evening and weekend hours for public use?
b) While everyone talks of bran ch libraries, they are grossly underutilized. The argument that not everyone can easily get to the Central Library is shallow. To provide easy access to a Central library: Commence Utilization of  one or more of the city’s existing bus fleet of five-six vehicles to provide free circular bus transportation for library users to and from neighborhoods to the Central Library?
c) Expand present book deliver service presently offered to shut-ins to anyone that requests a book or movie. Convenient Drop-off locations could be established by working with grocery chains and/or school libraries. Users then would pick up their books and/or drop off at a designated grocery store. Library personnel would distribute and pick up at each location on a schedule. Book/movie requests could be either by phone or internet? Those that must visit the Central Library can drive or be transported by the city bus service.
d) Re-establish use of neighborhood bookmobile service?

These are but a few options to make the library system more relevant within the existing tax dollars available
 
 

8 - There is no "Free Lunch". Unless you vote no on this measure, Aurora property taxes will increase a minimum of $125 million dollars over the next ten years.  This property tax is permanent, forever.  You never get to vote on this again!
  9 - You Can Count on Your Tax Money Going To the Library AND ONLY the Library: Are you sure?  Since this General Improvement District does not provide for a separate board, the libraries are still managed the same way as a city department.
  10 But Wait!  Aren't My Aurora City Taxes Going Up Every Year? Well yes, if you vote for this property tax increase, your taxes would go up every year if there is an increase in the consumer price index, which has been the case for the past several decades.
  Many Aurora voters have had to adjust their budgets downward with the loss of income during this current economic downturn.  Seniors have seen their 50% state property tax exemption removed this year and the media is reporting that they anticipate there will be no Social Security increases for the next two years.

The City of Aurora apparently thinks that citizens should ante up even more of their hard earned money so they can continue with the concept of more brick and mortar libraries in this age of the internet.

With automatic guaranteed funding, forever, the libraries have no incentive to be more creative and do things more efficiently.

Interestingly, unlike folks in the private sector, the concept of cutting existing wages and benefits has never been considered by the City of Aurora.  Apparently the private sector adjusts to less income and benefits but the city government is immune.

See the full ballot question language..

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