To my dismay, we learn in the news story “Library asks Hempfield to restore funding” that the Hempfield Township Board of Supervisors has eliminated most “discretionary” spending. This affects the township's funding of the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library (GHAL).
As a Hempfield resident, I enjoy utilizing GHAL services. The township awarded $50,000 to GHAL in 2013, $40,000 in 2014; that funding now is reduced to zero in 2015. What a sad day when little or no appreciation exists for what a library means to a community.
This action follows in the footsteps of Unity Township, which defunded its contributions to the Latrobe-Unity library system. Well, it looks like the same mentality now exists in Hempfield Township.
Hempfield's population was 43,241 in 2010. If one assumes two people per household, there could be 21,620 domiciles. If taxes were raised by $4 per year on an average domicile, that could generate $86,480 in revenue — enough to fund more properly Hempfield's portion of GHAL.
People in Hempfield need to let our elected supervisors know of displeasure with this action. There is a supervisors meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. March 23. Attend and voice your concern or call Doug Weimer, board president, at the township office at 724-834-7232, ext. 118.
Louis F. Pochet
Hempfield
