There are plenty of reasons to say yes

There’s always plenty of reasons to say no to a tax increase.

Taxes are too high already. A still-recovering economy is a bad time. Government spends money inefficiently. There isn’t a need.

But in the city of Henderson this year, the Henderson Libraries District has given voters every reason to say yes.

First, the increase is modest, just 2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. For the average Henderson home, that’s just $7 to $10 per year, or around 3 cents a day.

Second, it’s now or never: The Henderson Libraries District has done everything it can to run more efficiently, including closing on Sundays and Mondays. The district is now faced with the choice of closing the Galleria and Lydia Malcolm branches wholesale, and perhaps reducing hours and services elsewhere.

In short, if they’d have been able to get by another year through cuts, they would have. That’s just not possible anymore.

And it’s not like the library district has its hand out often: The last voter-approved tax increase for libraries was in 1991, when George H.W. Bush was still president and there were just 65,000 people living in Henderson. (Today, there’s more than 265,000.) That probably explains why the Henderson library district currently has the lowest tax rates in the valley, and even if the tax increase is approved, it will still be third-lowest.

Oh, and the libraries are running at peak efficiency. They’ve lost 37 workers through attrition. Those who remain – including district Director Tom Fay – have taken a 10 percent pay cut.

Rest assured, this money will not end up in somebody’s pocket: It can only be used for operating expenses, things such as utilities, building maintenance and the like. It won’t be used to give pay increases or hire more employees, although they’re certainly needed.

That brings us to need: The six branches of Henderson’s library district serve about 100,000 people every month, and the district circulates nearly 2 million items every year. Libraries are home to summer-reading programs that keep kids’ reading skills sharp when they aren’t in school, and they are gathering spots for book clubs and seniors groups all year round. Computers at the library allow people to search for everything from information to job openings, without the expense of a laptop and a modem at home. And the library also allows you to borrow e-books if you have an iPad or a Kindle.

And the use of the library has gone up in the recession, too.

For those of us who grew up using the library (albeit, in my case, one that used an actual card-filing system) it’s an easy sell.

There’s no doubt the recession is continuing to take its toll on Nevada. Our unemployment rate is still the highest in the nation. Our foreclosure rate is still very high. Every month, the mailbox is stuffed full of bills, and finding extra money – even as little as 3 cents a day – isn’t easy for a lot of people.

But when it comes to the important role the libraries play in the life of the community, and in the individual lives of people who use them every day, the proposed increase is a small price to pay. Inside those doors lies a whole universe of entertainment, enlightenment and experiences that have a dramatic impact on people, some for the rest of their lives. It would be a shame to see any of those doors close.

We Henderson residents can see it doesn’t happen, by voting yes on Question 1. I’ll be voting yes. Please consider joining me.

Steve Sebelius is a Review-Journal political columnist and author of the blog SlashPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter (@SteveSebelius) or reach him at (702) 387-5276 or ssebelius@reviewjournal.com.