We’re just smarter in Charlottesville.

Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Director John Halliday mailed me a copy of the library’s new Five Year Plan last week, since I used to be a member of the Board of Trustees. There’s a lot to be excited about, but the best bit is to be found right up front, on page two of the 27-page document. We (as it was “we” then) retained a polling firm to conduct a telephone survey of a representative sample of residents of Charlottesville, Albemarle, Louisa, Greene, and Nelson, which are the counties served by the system. Here are some of the results:

• 68% of area residents identify themselves as public library users
• 82% of local students have library cards
• 92% of area residents favor expanded library services, even if it would mean higher taxes of $15 per year

Now, I ask you, how many towns in this country have a sufficiently-enlightened citizenry that 92% of them are willing to have their taxes raised in order to receive improved services? In most areas, people don’t even get that there’s any connection between the two. President Bush was able to campaign — not once but twice — on a platform of providing massively expanded services and a slashed budget. It’s not possible, but apparently logic isn’t an obstacle to 51% of the electorate.

Not in Charlottesville and Central Virginia. At least 92% of the citizens both understand the tradeoff and support higher taxes in exchange for improved educational resources.

We rock.