SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Dori: Seattle Public Library wants to eliminate personal responsibility

Jun 27, 2019, 5:13 AM | Updated: Jul 1, 2019, 7:53 am

Seattle Public Library, library levy, WoLF...

The Seattle Public Library. (AP)

(AP)

The Seattle Public Library wants more of your money. They want to almost double the current amount that you’re paying to the libraries with a levy.

I told you about this a couple of months ago when they first proposed it. One of the reasons they need $100 million more than the previous levy is that they want to forgive library fines. If somebody doesn’t return a book, we just won’t make them pay a fine.

Right now, if you have outstanding fines, you can’t use the library. And that makes sense — you’re not returning the things you borrowed that are not yours.

RELATED: City wants to add to $213M library levy for irresponsible people

So we can’t hold people responsible for the fines that they’ve agreed to pay if they don’t return a book.

The Seattle Times has come out with its endorsements and of course, it’s encouraging everyone to vote yes on the near-doubling of the gigantic amount you’re already paying to the Seattle Public Library — in part to eliminate fines for the most irresponsible people who use the library.

Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez even admitted that she would be “first in line for amnesty.” Oh sure, why should a city councilmember return something on-time? She can’t be bothered to follow the rules — she’s an important member of the Seattle City Council.

Why should we have responsibility in our society?

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from 12-3 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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Dori: Seattle Public Library wants to eliminate personal responsibility