Salinas, CA : A Town Without Libraries

[Modem Butterfly]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/27/salinas.libraries.ap/index.html

Facing record deficits, the City Council voted December 14 to shut all three of Salinas' libraries, including the branches named after Steinbeck and labor leader Cesar Chavez. The blue-collar town of 150,000 could become the most populous U.S. city without a public library.

Salinas, nicknamed "salad bowl to the nation" for the lettuce and broccoli fields nearby, is the 1902 birthplace of the Nobel Prize-winning author of "Cannery Row" and "Of Mice and Men." Steinbeck, who died in 1968, described the region as "pastures of heaven" and memorialized Salinas in his 1952 novel "East of Eden."

My parents grew up in Salinas. I spent my early childhood in Salinas and remember the Steinbeck library very well. There is a lifesized statue of Steinbeck on the lawn with a cigarette placed in his right hand (Steinbeck died of lung cancer, IIRC). My brother and I almost put our eyes out on that cigarette many times- the statue was ripe for hanging from. There was a large, glassed-in area with Steinbeck's books and many of his papers on display. It was strictly adults-only. I got to go in once when my dad wanted my mom to hurry. It was a thrill I still remember 25 years later.

[fooj]

1. I live rather close,,,about 30 minutes away...

La Selva Beach even has a library!!! With all of the crime and drive-bys they have in Salinas...this should really help!

[4morewars]

2. No money for books,

Endless supply of money for war. That's what we get when we have a dunce for a president.

[RUDUing2]

3. this will happen more and more..if you cut taxes you also have to

cut services...something joe and jane sixpack won't admit..it will take things like this to make them realize that Bush isn't an economic mastermind afterall...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/11/20/SALINAS.TMP .....Not that Salinas' 112-year-old library system has been flourishing in recent years. This fast-growing city and its youthful population had only a main library and two small branches to begin with. And hours were slashed last year to reduce costs.

But city voters delivered the coup de grace Nov. 2 when they turned down two tax measures designed to keep city services afloat. The fate of a third tax measure is still unclear because of a very close vote and thousands of still-uncounted provisional ballots.

Without significant new funding on the horizon, city officials are intent on slashing $8 million in spending, including the entire $3 million annual budget for the library system.

"People didn't believe this would be a consequence," said Jan Neal, administrative manager for the libraries. "They read about it, and they heard about it, but they didn't believe it......Salinas' financial problems have been building for years, a combination of rapid residential growth, falling sales tax revenue, 10 years of state raids totaling about $32 million and rising health care costs for workers.

Last year, the city cut 52 jobs and $8 million in spending, eliminating crossing guards, paramedic services, graffiti abatement, most recreation programs and many other services.

Still faced with a $9.2 million shortfall, the City Council voted in September to cut another 71 jobs and $7 million, including the money for all library services, all but one recreation center, 10 unfilled police positions and one firefighter -- adding up to 20 percent of the city staff.

The second round of layoffs and closings could have been rescinded had the three Nov. 2 ballot measures been approved.

One, a half-cent rise in the city's sales tax, would have raised $8 million to $10 million per year. It lost by 1,200 votes.

A second, a rise in utility rates for some businesses, lost by nearly 2-to-1. A measure to increase business license fees is ahead by a few hundred votes. If it is finally approved, the city will have to cut only another $1 million this month instead of $2.2 million....

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WAKE UP PEOPLE...if you cut taxes and go to war then you have to cut services...If the federal govt. cuts taxes then they have less to send to the states and states either have to raise taxes or cut services...if states have less then they have less to give to programs and communities...

Still think that *tax credit* was worth it? Afterall isn't that one reason you voted for bushie boy?

[Bridget Burke]

4. From what I've read about Steinbeck & Salinas, he was glad to see the town

...in his rear view mirror.