Letter: New downtown library unneeded

Did I wake up in an alternate universe on July 22? There, in bold print, was an article titled “Library Board seeks public input.”

The article went on to quote board member Tanya Freeman as saying, “Transparency is crucial.” Really! The Library Board has never been transparent about anything other than the fact that they are chomping at the bit to spend taxpayer money on a “big box” anchor, or should I say quasi-cultural center for downtown development.

You want some input? Here’s some. Take the $19 million and use it to support literacy programs in the local schools and in poorer areas of the city whose existing libraries could receive a major boost by receiving merely a portion of the monies the board have dedicated toward downtown development. Would they care to respond? I doubt it. They don’t want to go there. This is just another pet project for the Holden administration. Who loses? We do!

Mont Calvert

comptroller

Baton Rouge

Comments

1) Comment by phil - 31/07/2012

I am not sure if public parking is free. Someone has to pay for the initial construction and the maintenance of the parking lot. Basically nothing is really free and that is one problem. People seem to forget that free is not really free for those who actually pay for that free stuff. When government makes a profit, it is often someone's tax funds that are required to make that profit. With a federal government that is now about $16 trillion in debt, it seems that someone could figure this out. Our children and grandchildren will probably be paying for all of that free stuff in the future

2) Comment by Elderly Man - 30/07/2012

Why do we provide free public parking at libraries? How much of our common wealth do we tie up in owning the land on which we built these tax supported depositories for private vehicles. At the least, lease the property on which we built these lots and let private entrepreneurs provide private profit generating parking for patrons rich enough to afford private transportation

3) Comment by Bighug - 28/07/2012

Yes, DMJ, as retro as 'no taxation without representation'. I was only commenting that it was the people who weren't required to pay for the library who voted that others must pay for it.

4) Comment by 8.3 - 27/07/2012

Why should I support a library where Mr. Calvert lives? I won't use it since I don't live there.

5) Comment by nimby? - 27/07/2012

a downtown library is needed , with plenty of parking , accessible to those who need it the most . this all could have been accomplished at a much lower cost if the old Gouchauxs property had been considered . this would have helped to revitalize another part of the city in desperate need . but this area is outside the emerald city , serves no purpose to the DDD elite corp . there is a capitalist notion as to the library's designated location that will eventually come out in the wash ...

6) Comment by DMJ - 27/07/2012

Only property owners can vote, eh? Very 17th Century, very retro...

7) Comment by Bighug - 27/07/2012

Yes, the voters approved that tax, but many of those voters pay little or none of the tax because they aren't property owners or own property that has a low assessment. The results may have been different if only the people who would be paying the tax were eligible to vote on it.

8) Comment by phil - 27/07/2012

Maybe we should demolish the existing downtown library, wait for everyone who uses that library to get used to going to the other library just down the road, and then just accidentally forget to build that new $19 million library. I think most people in EBR Parish will never notice the difference.

9) Comment by dday198 - 27/07/2012

we need nothing down here buses, parks. paved roads, red lights etc etc etc keep your fancy city stuff out of our city

10) Comment by DMJ - 27/07/2012

Another voter's remorse letter. Enough already. The time to complain is BEFORE the tax passes, not after.

11) Comment by Being_Stupid - 27/07/2012

Can I get a refund on my library tax, since the money is being used to build absolutely nothing but studies and conception drawings instead of actual libraries? Why am I paying this stupid tax?

12) Comment by TheTardis - 27/07/2012

A little late to be complaining about the downtown library. This has been discussed way too much already and has been decided. Gotta disagree with elderly man. The main library on Independence Blvd is in the perfect location. It's going to be a beautiful addition to the city and will be the most widely used.

13) Comment by Elderly Man - 27/07/2012

What we do not need is that monster we are building in the middle of nowhere on Goodwood.

14) Comment by gary - 27/07/2012

Folks seem to forget that the voters of EBR parish approved the new library.

15) Comment by Bighug - 27/07/2012

The library project has several attributes. It allows present seated politicians, such as mayor Kip Holden, get their names on a brass plaque, money for construction diverted to the contributors and friends of politicians, downtown parking spaces for a select few, and it could encourage ten or twelve people, who didn't read because of the older library, to read a book. Stop complaining about the taxes you pay for the library and consider these good reasons to push for its construction!