Residents call for full library funding

By Kevin O’Brien

Of the 22 people who spoke at a Marathon County budget hearing last Thursday, almost all of them had the same basic message for supervisors: Don’t cut funding for local libraries.

“I have no interest in saving a few dollars on my property tax bill if it means putting this resource at risk,” said Beth Martin of Wausau, who called on county board members to fully fund the library system for 2024 and restore a $69,000 cut made during last year’s budget process.

Martin reminded supervisors that a law firm hired by the library board has said that the county could face legal liability if elected officials cut funding as retaliation for library trustees refusing to remove controversial books challenged by patrons.

“As a taxpayer I do not want my tax dollars used to fund both sides of a lawsuit over First Amendment rights,” she said.

Eighteen residents spoke in glowing terms about the services provided by the Marathon Public Library System, and shared examples of how the libraries and their staff have helped them and their children in various ways.

Nicole Riggs of Marathon City said that, as the single mother of a child with a learning disability, she has relied on her local library to provide free reading materials for her daughter,

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Nicole Riggs County library

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who has developed into a “voracious reader, due to the library.”

“I would hate for the community to lose such a resource, especially for the parents who just can’t afford to buy different books every week,” she said.

Many of the comments were in response to proposals floated by supervisor David Baker, who suggested in an Oct. 6 email to fellow supervisors that it might be a good idea to abolish the countywide library system and turn control of the eight branch libraries over to their local communities. However, no formal proposal has been made by Baker for the board to consider.

Baker had also recommended delaying a $2.8 million project to replace a chiller at the library headquarters in Wausau, but he has since dropped that proposal.

Following last Thursday’s public hearing, Baker said his only proposal at this point would be to provide a 6.7 percent increase in tax dollars for the library system – instead of the 12 percent included in the administrator’s budget – and require the library board to spend part of its reserve funds to meet its budget needs.

“Neither of those are a cut,” he said. “Both options fully provide for the full funding of the budget.”

Also during the public hearing, four people spoke in favor of a different amendment submitted by Baker that would lower next year’s property tax levy by $1.5 million by diverting money from a Social Services fund – which currently has a balance of over $14 million – to debt payments.

“Consider giving taxpayers a break,” Joanne Leonard of Wausau told the board, after noting that many residents are “living paycheck to paycheck.”

Another speaker, Jeff Johnson, urged the board to invest the $1.5 million into local roads and highways rather than using it to pay down debt. He noted that general transportation aid from the state is tied to how much money the county spends every year on road maintenance.

“If we keep spending less, we will be receiving less,” he said.

A few speakers also advocated for an amendment introduced by supervisor Gayle Marshall to sell several buildings being vacated by county departments and use the proceeds to “limit the need to incur further debt.”

The board will consider any amendments by supervisors at a meeting this Thursday when the 2024 budget is expected to be adopted.