Soon we will be engaged in the great American privilege of voting. For those who will take advantage of early voting, you will see a 4-paged ballot, two sheets both sides. We see that the ballot begins with Federal (national) issues, followed by State, then County, and, finally, local issues.

If you requested early voting, you will have time to go through the ballot carefully. For those who have chosen to go to the polls, please do not feel rushed. You should have received the election-guide book which precedes every election and explains the ballot issues both pro and con. Read it and prepare yourself before you go into the booth.

Here are my concerns.

The local issues are listed last and the ballot is 4 pages. I hope you will come prepared to complete the voting process. After a period of time, a voter could get frustrated and start voting in the negative. There are three very important issues facing voters in Douglas County and the Town of Parker.

The second ballot issue I'd like to address in 5A, the Library Ballot for Douglas County. This is a request for a Library District tax increase of 1 mill. 1 mill equals $7.96 per year on each $100,000 of home value. For the average house of $300,000, that would be an annual increase of $23.88 (a hard cover book). Under the proposal, .4 mills would sunset when the two new buildings (in Parker and Lone Tree) are paid off.

Parker needs a new library, plain and simple! So does Lone Tree and Castlepines. The measure also includes modest renovations in Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch as well.

For me, any library is a home away from home. Growing up in the 50s and 60s in Brentwood, Long Island, I remember the day I got my library card. It was my first day of school. I was in the 4 th grade at St. Anne's Catholic Elementary School. The library was situated in a small house on Suffolk Avenue. The librarian was most courteous, helpful, and filled with enthusiasm. My first book was Gulliver's Travels. From that day forth a new world opened up for me. Whenever I return to Brentwood to see my family members, I always make it a point to visit the library. It's so much bigger now due to the population increase and it is always busy. That library is still the center of Brentwood's community. It is that way with any and all libraries in Douglas County. I visit them and I see it. My heart, however, belongs to Parker's library.

The land which the new Parker Library will be built on is free. The new building will sit on the same campus as the civic center. Just one important note, the civic center and the library are two separate issues. You are voting on the Library and nothing else.

I'd like you to imagine for a minute what this all means. Imagine a new Library located on donated property next to a civic center. What surrounds that campus are beautiful boutique shops helping to vitalize Parker's downtown. You come to the new library with your family, enjoy the space, the many new books, CDs, DVDs, perhaps one of your children works on a project on one of the new computers, or maybe you take in a meeting being held in one of the new conference/class rooms. You ask what's playing at the civic center and you decide it's something you and your family should see. You decide to have dinner at one of the restaurants on East Mainstreet. The show is terrific and you end your evening happy you spent an entire afternoon and evening downtown. Is that the kind of picture you see you and your family in?

Well a lot will depend upon how you vote on 5A.

I could go on, but now you must decide. Are the reasons for moving forward worth the small tax increase? For me, the only answer is 'Yes.'

I'll leave you once again with this thought by famed-coach Vince Lombardi, "Do with your life the very best you can to make the world a better place in which to live."

On November 4 th or before, please vote YES on 5A!