Worth the cost

Dear Mr. Editor:
I’m writing this as a library board member, a member of the community, and the mother of a young child.
I had the privilege of growing up here, and my husband and I are now raising our own child in this community. I have been a library user all of my life and am very excited about all the possibilities that a new library will bring to Fort Frances.
The scenarios described in the article on the front page of the March 18 issue of the Times led me to a bit of number-crunching of my own.
If we can assume the average yearly tax in Fort Frances is approximately $2,200, then in a best-case scenario, 1.3 percent of $2,200 is an increase of $28.60 per year.
That works out to an extra $2.38 a month.
Even in a worst-case scenario, 2.7 percent of $2,200 is an increase of $59.40 per year. That works out to an extra $4.95 a month.
Is a wonderful, new, and fully-accessible library/technology centre worth this? I believe it is.
People of this town gave their hard-earned money in good faith, and believed the mayor and councillors when they said they were committed to building a new library right away.
The “Building for the Future” fundraising committee has done an amazing job so far and has given their all to see that they meet their goal of raising $750 000.
Will this all be for nothing? What will the mayor and council do with the $1.9 million that has been raised so far if the project dies?
I’d just like to close with a quote I’m fond of from Strickland Gillilan:
“You may have tangible wealth untold;
caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be,
I had a mother who read to me.”
Sincerely,
Connie Schwartz
Fort Frances, Ont.