It is very disheartening to read the Turlock Journal article, “Save our library,” that ran on July 13. The news item announced that because of budget cuts further reductions were necessary in the Hilmar and Merced County area. The Hilmar library would be open only 20 hours a week, down from 32 hours a week last fall.

I am so thankful I live in Stanislaus County. In 1995 we passed a 1/8 cent sales tax to support our libraries. Since the beginning of our Library Sales Tax in 1995, our county libraries have received $99,907,496 from this source. That’s only ONE penny for every eight dollars of sales tax we pay.

This little bit has helped us keep our county libraries open 474 hours a week, 47 hours each week in Turlock alone.

In addition, we’ve been able to have story time, puppet shows, craft programs classroom visits, adult literacy programs and many other services during those hours.

In 2012, this tax increment will be dropped UNLESS we vote to continue it so we can keep our library services.

Vote “yes” for libraries in 2012!

— Donna Oppelt