Belgrade residents should vote no on articles 5 and 9 on the town meeting warrant.

Article 5 requests approval for an additional $20,900 per year to add five additional open hours for the library and 10 additional hours for the library director. Compare the library budgets of other comparable-sized communities in this area and you will find that Belgrade very generously supports its library. That is especially apparent when you consider that the Friends of the Belgrade Library provide the town with the library building and all related operating expenses for $1 per year. Certainly our wonderful library currently provides excellent service and community programs for young and adult alike. There is no need for additional hours.

Article 9 requests a $40,000 “donation” to BRCA/BLA and two other lakes organizations. This forces you to make a “donation” to organizations through your property taxes, regardless of your ability to pay — it becomes a tax, not a donation. These organizations do good work — no argument there. However, this method of fundraising is simply wrong.

Kathryn Brown

Belgrade