The Kenai City Council again turned down the suggestion of charging a fee for non-resident library cards.
65% of the Kenai Community Library’s 11,000 users live outside City limits. The City’s Administration estimated a $20 fee per card would bring in $25,000 per year, reducing the financial burden on Kenai’s property tax payers.
But during Wednesday evening’s Council Meeting, Councilor Terry Bookey insists access to education should be free.
Cm. Bookey: “Of all government services, that should be at the top that we don’t charge people for. People of all socio-economic status, if you have a lot of money or you don’t have much money at all, you can still go to the library and you can still learn. You can have access to information such as the internet. We have periodicals and magazines, newspapers, books.”
Bookey said the Council should be ashamed if they limit library access to even one potential patron.
Councilor Ryan Marquis criticized the idea that library should be treated differently simply because of where they live.
Cm. Marquis: “Don’t believe in charging people to use our library. I think the people that go there are already spending money in our businesses and they’re members of our community and even if they weren’t, I want to make sure that everyone has equal access to libraries, no matter which side of an imaginary line they live on.”
But the City finances show increasing expenses for the library, from utility bills to necessary library system software upgrades and new books. City Manager Rick Koch said the City has to find a way to pay for those services.