The library thing is Camden is nuts.
One of the FEW things that gov’t does which actually HELPS people during horrible economic times, is the local library system. Free public internet for job searching, public programs that teach networking, resume writing, etc. Many libraries bring in professional speakers for these kinds of things. In a place like Camden, I imagine the public library is one of the safest places you can bring children.
This seems incredibly boneheaded to me, by the officials of Camden.
They should slash the school administrator’s pay those people make 6 figure income to MANAGE a bunch of teachers.
That's precisely why libraries are one of the first things targeted by politicians.
When government is forced to cut spending, it always cuts it in a way that causes maximum pain to the public.
You won’t hear about any administrator salaries being cut, let alone cutting any of their jobs altogether. No, and the leather furniture stays too.
Our public library has become a expensive homeless shelter. They bathe in the restrooms, sleep in the stacks, and watch porn on the computers. Far from being a safe place to bring or send children, I wouldn't let mine attend without an adult present.
As a young teen, I spent hours at the local library, reading all types of books in the adult section. It was, and still is, my favorite way to spend an afternoon. But I'd never let my young teens hang out there sfter a local teen was accosted by a homeless man in the restroom.If I want to spend an afternoon reading, I go to BArnes and Noble; or read whatever I want on line. I haven't been to the public library in years.
And the classic history and science books I read as a teen are long gone,too, replaced by popular reading materials. On my last trip, I searched in vain for the biographies of American heroes for my kids. There were 20 biographies of Brittney Spears, and Tiger Woods, and 50 Cent; but none of Revolutionary heroes Mad Anthony Wayne, Frances Marion or even Nathaniel Greene, hardly a bit player in the Revolution.
Nobody goes there any more, and if Camden's library is anything like ours, and I bet dollars to donuts that it is, then it deserves to die.
“...Free public internet for job searching, public programs that teach networking, resume writing, etc. Many libraries bring in professional speakers for these kinds of things...”
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I challenge you to visit your closest large urban area and visit
an inner city library and come back here and report on what you see.
(hint: it ain’t pretty)
When I was in first grade and my mom was working, I would come out of school and go to the library on the next block and wait for her to get off work. There was nothing to do there but read. I read all the kid books. Then I read the teen science fiction books. By the time 5th grade rolled around, I was checking out physics books from the adult section. The advantage of no TV available.
Camden is not the only place.
Idiots elected to office overwhelmingly everywhere are financial ignoramuses who created the problems of today and seem determined to make sure that the problems continue indefinitely.
There are too many mistakes to cover here, so I'll just conclude with a modest proposal, I've made many times before; it addresses the false premise that pure democracy can work, and applies the wisdom of the majority.
Let the politicians and the public employees and the welfare subculture raise taxes to whatever level they want in terms of amount, but make the dividing of the income from the taxpayers mandatory as follows : allow the taxpayers to choose exactly where their money will be spent from a list of 100 items. Among the top ten I would include national defense, roads, bridges, libraries, flood control, disease control, law enforcement, Fire control and education...
BUT...
that does not mean I would allow them to set their own salaries.
All of the players must accept the fact that if their salaries exceed the salaries of their employers, the taxpayer, the system WILL fail. The employer sets the salaries, take it or leave it. No unions allowed.
I reject categorically the notion that people willing to do the work for less are either criminal or dishonest. Criminal, incompetent and dishonest is the current definition of lifetime welfare recipients and public employees.
Oh yes; among the botton ten on my list of distributing my taxes would be politician salaries and retirement, Public employees and their retirement, and institutionalized multi-generational welfare.
Under those circumstances, I would accept any tax increase with equanimity.
You are missing the point.
Politicians always cut police, fire, schools, libraries, etc first so that the public feels the squeeze. This is how they prepare the public to demand more taxes. Its pay more or else.
They can’t possibly cut back on union pay, union pensions, government jobs, illegal alien services, and the endless programs for welfare mommies.