12 thoughts on “Library appeals to public again”

1. Geez, I’m glad they got all the streets and sidewalks fixed, re-opened some firehouses and hired some cops before they committed to this.

2. By “they” you mean the voters. THOSE B@ST@RDS!

3. Yep, okay giving 35,000,000(that’s million)to someone who can’t tell you where they are going to spend it! Good government? You figure it out.

4. No downside? You are kidding me? Just another $35,000,000.00, sock it to the property taxpayer. People who pay very small amount of property tax aren’t going to feel it but in a round about way they will. Less money that we have to contribute to worthy causes. As more taxes are forced on me, the less I have to donate and since my tax bill would go up at least $104 a year and already are up $1300 over last year, I’m going to spend less money in this community. Already have.

   Libraries “bursting at the seams”, C.J., I gave you an opportunity to show me. You didn’t even answer my email.

   Mr. “questionable character” Ed thanks you for his support.

   Most of the stuff being checked out at public libraries these days are cheap at Walmart and used book stores.

   Read my latest blog whicdh I’m starting on in the next hour.

   Lincoln Library who complained they only had 2 computer now have 12 excdept three aren’t working and five are locked in the lower level.

   I believe in equal opportunity but if you don’t use it chances are you will lose it.

5. Merle, I don’t recall getting the e-mail you referenced. Can you resend it?

   As for “no downside,” I said there was no political downside because the referendum passed with a huge majority — 72%. What, are we supposed to ignore the 72% because the 28% don’t want their taxes to go up? Why bother having a referendum? (And don’t tell me it’s not representative because of the low turnout. I have no sympathy for people who don’t vote.)

6. C.J.,
   I agree that low turnout is no excuse. But the “no” voters didn’t have the resources to compete against professional promotion expert Shearer or raise $100,000 tO INFORM the public to see what was real or “nostalgic”.

   As to the email, it was an invitation to all bloggers to visit libraries with me and gather facts. Some people, no bloggers, who did accept my invitation said had they known some facts they would have voted against the referendeum.

   Thanks

7. It’s not representative due to low turnout that is due to laziness. If a majority of Peorians would ever peel their dead @$$es off their recliners long enough to vote on illusional referenda such as this, the measures would go down in flames. Instead, most just sit around and bitch after the fact. I suspect the Council knows this.

   Unfortunately, C.J.’s right and them’s the breaks.

8. Merle: I would love to wake up tomorrow and discover that through some form of magic spell voters approved a referendum advisign passage of a $35 bond to build and repair sidewalks, construct new roads where needed, and other assorted infrastructure needs.

   But the city owns the libraries. It must maintain them. I’m not sold on the contention that they are out of space. But building a new library out north does seem to make sense, especially when you consider how many exist further south.

   And I’m no fan of Steve Shearer. But the personalities of those involved aren’t the issue.

   And the opposition to this isn’t ALL based on concern for the taxpayer dollar. The issue is being hijacked, and it’s probably going to come to a head soon.

9. Personally, I think it was a stupid question. Since they don’t even know where they are putting a northern branch, how do they know $35,000,000 is enough? Or too much? Studies and consultants can twist anything.

   Personally, I think we should revamp the downtown library and see if all the claims the library people are making are true before handing over $35 mil. If so, cool. If not, too bad. Peorians have been handed enough bill of goods (pick your tax sucking boondoggle) and unfortunately for the library people (and the museum folk) taxpayers are going to be more aware of where their tax dollars are going (especially since I wrote the check today).

10. The $35 million is not all for a northern branch. In fact, only about $11 million is for the northern branch. Almost $11 million is tagged for revamping the main branch downtown. The rest of it is for enlarging the Lincoln and Lakeview branches.

    The question that went on the ballot was written/approved by the city council. If they didn’t intend to abide by the outcome, they shouldn’t have wasted everyone’s time by approving it.

    Merle says,

    But the “no” voters didn’t have the resources to compete against professional promotion expert Shearer or raise $100,000 to INFORM the public to see what was real or “nostalgic”.

    They didn’t have the resources, or they didn’t use their resources? I think all the “no” vote people just thought this referendum was cinch to go down to defeat, so they didn’t put up any resistance. Now that the referendum passed, all the “no” vote people are trying to come up with any way possible to stop this from going through. And they may succeed in stopping it… or at least mitigating the tax impact. It will be interesting to see who goes on record against the wishes of the voters.

11. Exactly my point, CJ. Lets spend 11 million on the downtown library and see if what the library board tells us holds true before spending another 24 Million on the others. If what they say holds true, cool, I’m all for it. If not, time for a bake sale.

12. What exactly are “all the claims the library people are making”? I’m guessing that a large part of the support for the referendum was from people who want a branch out north.

    I’m afraid that the council is going to squash the library initiative to use those hard to come by tax dollars on the museum.

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