In today’s Bee, the Stanislaus Taxpayers Association sponsored  a full-page paid political ad to urge citizens to vote no on Measure S, the transportation sales tax which many have endorsed (including the League of Women Voters of Stanislaus County). Regardless of how you feel about the transportation tax, I want to point out a major mistake: the ad’s text reads: “It Still Doesn’t Add Up. The Library Tax did not improve library services. The Road Tax will not fix your streets” (emphasis mine).  WHAAAA?

Wrong. The library tax, which was passed in 2001 and renewed in 2004, actually DID improve library services. Remember the blossoming of library open hours and services throughout the county? Remember the amazing materials budget we were blessed with for so many years? Did you know that the library has been exceptionally fiscally responsible and managed to build reserves of almost a million dollars? For specific examples of library system improvements directly tied to the library tax, please see the Then and Now documents available through the Stanislaus County Library system.

It’s not right that groups can deceive taxpayers with patent misinformation. Shame on you, Stanislaus Taxpayers Association! I’m more than disappointed.