02 City Council Min 07-27-04 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Special City Council Meetrng July 27, 2004 Page 13 He said the reality is that the income and the expenses don't meet. He said they can't continue to raise taxes. He explained that new industries that look at this town also look at the tax rate. He continued that other states are giving industries a lot more incentives. He asked what would get more industry in Paris. Councilman Guest said the Toyota Plant in San Antonio got a $3 80,000,000.00 incentive package and we can't even raise $3.8 million. Josey Carrington from the Paris Public Library said it was suggested to cut three ( 3) people from the library. She said there are only fourteen (14) employees and the library is open six (6) days a week. She related that over five hundred (500) people a day visit the library and they are very busy. She asked the Council how many of them had library cards. Three raised their hands. She said then the didn't have very much knowledge to make this decision. Councilman Guest asked what percentage of those patrons were citizens of Paris. Assistant Library Director Priscilla McAnally said about 40% of the library cards were from the County. Councilman Guest asked about the County's participation in the library. Ms. McAnally said none. Councilman Guest said that was the problem. Ms. Carrington said this had been discussed before but no one has done anything about it. Councilman Wilson said he thought there were sixteen (16) employees in the library. Assistant Library Director Priscilla McAnally replied that there were just fourteen (14), but there are just thirteen (13) at the moment because the director retired. She explained that these fourteen (14), in light of their circulation and number patrons, do the work of thirty-two (32) people. She did say they had only hired one additional person the library. She indicated that the number sixteen (16) in the budget was incorrect and she has requested that that be corrected. She stated the library budget for last year was $814,386.00 and the proposed budget is $690,525.00. She did instruct the Council that if three (3) employees were cut from the budget, that would drastically cut services and some hour the library is open would have to be cut.