Tightwads and Intellectual Poverty

The Arkansas State Library distributes $4 million dollars in state funding to the 235 public libraries in Arkansas, but 11 libraries get zero. Eight of those 11 are in Benton County; Bella Vista, Bentonville, Decatur, Gentry, Gravette, Pea Ridge, Siloam Springs, and Sulphur Springs libraries are ineligible because they fail to meet state standards that require a library have a librarian with a master's degree in library science and be supported by at least a 1 mill county or city library tax. Only the Rogers Public Library meets both criteria, and it receives $80,000 a year from the state.

Hadi Dudley, director of the Bentonville Public Library, says, "It's one of those tax issues. It's just difficult for people to vote to spend money." It is shameful that a County that has a median household income of 134% of the state average and counts billionaires among its residents is so chinchy when it comes to support for public libraries. Of course, the United Way of Benton County also fell $500,000 short of its expected charitable donations last year, too.

Business leaders and politicians in Benton County are all about demanding more state and federal funds for highways, getting the state's taxpayers to support their water and sewer projects, and taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from state taxpayers for corporate payroll rebates. Ask them to do their part and pass a meager one mill tax for public libraries, and they wail about how they hate taxes and government spending.

Do you think it's because they fear informed citizens? Do you think they're trying to make residents buy books from retailers instead of borrowing them for free? Do you think Benton County voters would support funding public libraries if they could require that all books and reading materials be English Only?