Why not use the excess library funds to pay for the Atherton Fiber rollout, then in follow on years subsidize the ongoing service? A library's purpose is to educate and inform the community. Providing internet services to every Atherton resident matches that mission.

It is fascinating to watch the Republic of Atherton as the Town Council tries to secede from the rest of the county, State and Nation.

Their motto is "I've got mine and I don't want to share with anybody else".

Clearly having homes with high walls and gates has led the Council to believe that they should become a nation of their own with no responsibility for the larger community in which they live.

First, fire services - steal property tax money from the residents of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park to enrich the Town of Atherton.

Next, library services - make sure than none of "our" tax money goes outside our borders. Clue - the property tax money is not the Town's money - it is the taxpayers money.

What is next?

Border controls?
Trade agreements?
Atherton Air Force?
Atherton Navy?
Atherton Army?

Fortunately the vast majority of Atherton residents,other than the Town Council members,recognize that they are part of a larger community,county,State and Nation in which all of them work,shop,contribute and benefit.

The Atherton Army isn't next. We've had it for a long time. This has been the entire justification for the Atherton Police Department. Atherton's own private army.

"Apple" is correct. If Andrew Carnegie were alive today he would be funding "Internet Learning Cafes" & not just brick & motor fixed size hard copy libraries. The Atherton Library's mission should be to provide full access for all Atherton residents to full, global knowledge. Thus, the new "Atherton Library System" should consist of:
1) Updated (but not much larger) brick & mortar building with:
- Selected books - probably skewed toward children & Senior Adults
- An "Internet Cafe" area where computers are available to access the WWW, probably with an "outsourced" vender that provides upscale coffee, tea, light food, etc. at certain hours.
2) A very high speed Fiber/Wi-Fi internet service to all Atherton residents at no fixed, or annual charge
3) High speed connections to the other local libraries so they can access Atherton's Library

IF there is money left over every year (& I very much doubt that there will be), reduce the Atherton residents's taxes:
1) Not everyone in 94027 has unlimited money for all worthy causes
2) Taxes paid to San Mateo County, the State, etc. are our "Fair Share"

I would like my Atherton taxes to provide maximum value to Atherton residenst.

A concerned Atherton taxpayer!

@Atherton Taxpayer

From what I understand, the library tax cannot be rebated to Atherton residents. This is county or state law to prevent cities from starving their library services through tax rebates or diverting the money to other government spending. Atherton is a special case because we generate more library tax than we need, but the same law applies.

I also agree not to share Atherton taxes with other jurisdictions since there are areas of need our town has for its own information services that aren't yet met, such as fiber service.

This is what California State Law and the JPA state the library can do:

"EDUCATION CODE SECTION 19400-19407

19400. A library district may be organized, as provided in this
chapter. The library district may establish, equip, and maintain a
public library for the dissemination of knowledge of the arts,
sciences, and general literature and may exercise the powers granted
or necessarily implied pursuant to this chapter."

That's vague.