Interesting to see that the Dave Jennings-led Greater Mpls Chamber of
Commerce has come out against the library initiative...particularly the $30
million being used to upgrade the branches. I said to my wife, "In the old
days, this might have meant something, but do you know any voters who listen
to the Chamber today?" I mean, they were against the first school board
referendum in '91(?). but lost. Then again, I think this library initiative
is not as broadly supported, so perhaps the Chamber's opposition will be
more of a factor.
As a neighborhood guy whose child-filled world has constricted to a few
square blocks, I'm a little pissed these folks are saying "build ours and
not yours." I realize a downtown library is used by all members of the
public, but it is definitely the one most central to the business community.
If it wasn't for the business community, we could build our big mega-library
in another central community, perhaps on much cheaper land -- helping to
revitalize a neigborhood.
I'm not sure I support the new downtown library yet, but I wouldn't support
a downtown-only plan. (I'm probably the type the library board was thinking
of when the rolled the branches into their referendum -- evidence that a
downtown library has some popularity problems.) I half-think it would be
better to spend $110 million on the neighborhood libraries, and make them
incredible, though I'll admit this is more whimsy than analysis.
David Brauer
King Field - Ward 10
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
