Letters to the editor...Library tax impact not 5%

Dear editor, The Halton Hills Public Library Board is very thankful to Town council for the $8 million in the capital forecast to fund a larger, more modern library designed to meet the needs of Georgetown and the surrounding area. It is estimated that this $8M will build a library of 20,000 sq. feet, to be opened in 2010. Unfortunately, there appears to be some confusion about the actual tax impact of this project. In your front page article of February 10, the opening statement indicated that a new library for Georgetown "means tax increases of about 5 per cent for the next five years". In fact, as later pointed out in the article, the new Georgetown library accounts for only a 1 per cent increase in 2009, and a 1.6 per cent increase in 2010. This project is not responsible for the entire 5 per cent increase over five years. The Board and staff of Halton Hills Public Library welcome feedback about a new library branch for Georgetown. Residents should feel free to submit any comments or questions in person, via fax 905-873-6118 or through the library's website at www.library.hhpl.on.ca. Click on "Contact Us/Ask Us". Jay Jackson, chair, Halton Hills Public Library Board