The construction of a downtown library is again in the news—and as controversial as ever. But in my opinion, the voters already decided this issue on Oct. 15, 2005, when they renewed the library tax.
You will see outlined below what was presented to voters in “spirit” by the Library Board in 2005, if not in legal language on the ballot. And that decision and trust by the voters has already been violated. Now the opponents, who trampled democracy once, are back stomping their feet again. Will the 62% who approved the tax renewal and downtown plans let themselves be walked over again?
If you check the record, prior to the 2005 tax renewal there were eight public hearings. Then, on July 7, 2005, the Library Board met and Chairman John Carnahan said, “Ideally, downtown should belong to everyone. In the recent past Baton Rouge’s downtown declined as our city, like many others, succumbed to urban sprawl. Its revitalization, once thought of as hopeless, now has an exciting momentum. Downtown has again become a gathering place in which all parish citizens can have proud ownership. It has become our cultural center as well as our political center and is once more attracting business.
“I am convinced after seven months of consideration that returning the main library to the downtown area would ultimately be beneficial. The library would benefit from the synergy of being a major contributor among the educational/cultural offerings in Baton Rouge’s living room …”
His preliminary remarks concluded, “We as citizens have a responsibility to shape the life of Baton Rouge and a vital downtown is essential to our community life. To again locate the library downtown would be a bold declaration that East Baton Rouge Parish has a dynamic center which is attractive to business, political, educational and cultural institutions.”
Then the chairman made the following motion, which addressed the Library Board’s plans if the renewal was passed: “I move that upon the successful passage of the library’s tax renewal, the Board will provide the necessary funds to create a state-of-the art regional library at 7711 Goodwood Blvd. either by remodeling the current facility or by constructing a replacement facility in the immediate vicinity; the ultimate approach will be based on economic and logistical considerations. The Board favors a downtown location for a new headquarters library and will commit to secure the necessary funding to construct a new headquarters library in the downtown area, the specific site for which will be determined after receiving input from a firm with professional expertise in site selection.”
The motion carried.
On Oct. 15, 2005, the voters approved the tax renewal with 62% in favor. Almost two of three voters in favor. That exceeded the percentage in favor of the previous tax renewal in July 1995, which passed with 56%. It was a clear directive to elected officials and the Library Board.
But the opponents didn’t give up, and the voters trusted those in leadership to do what they had “told” the voters. That was a mistake. What honor is there among thieves? The board, under pressure from neighborhood groups—and with the support of Mayor Kip Holden—reversed plans and made the Goodwood site the “main headquarters.” The voice of the voters was silenced by a few.
It’s the same thing that happened when Mark Thornton, then head of BREC and that weaselly board, caved in to the loud noise of a few bigoted neighbors who wanted a crappy old golf course for their front lawn. So they got the Foundation for Historical Louisiana to get a designation in the middle of the night making City Park a “historic” crappy 9-hole golf course. It’s got a history all right—a history of racism where they filled in the swimming pool because blacks showed up. And they put up a fence topped with barbed wire between the park and the black residences, while leaving open the course in front of the white folks’ homes. And BREC chose to keep the 9-hole course instead of converting the green space to a beautiful central park on the lake for all to use.
Oh, BREC said they did some “poll” showing residents were split, but I don’t believe it. I believe Thornton was a coward. Now the Tea Party says it has a “poll” by some JMC Enterprises, which I have never heard of and which supposedly used land line phones to call. [Who even answers a land line phone these days, with caller I.D. and cell phones?] The voters have already spoken.
The Library Board presented a plan for the downtown library, down-sized from what voters believe they approved, and the opponents are still trying to deny their wishes. And elected officials like Metro Councilman Mike Walker seem happy to violate voter trust again.
What if a plan were presented to divert Green Light money from projects in Walker’s district—would he object? Walker certainly remembers the outrage of the voters who passed a library tax proposed by then Mayor Pat Screen, only to have Screen take away general fund money for libraries when the tax passed. We all felt it was a “bait and switch” so he could get his hands on more money. And that’s just what this feels like. Mr. Holden and Mr. Walker—and any other council members who are getting weak in the knees: Don’t play the voters. Don’t violate their trust. That will come back to haunt you. Honor the spirit of the library tax renewal of 2005.
A bad example to follow
Amid the angst over pending budget cuts at LSU, there is talk on campus among faculty about forming a union. Meetings have been set. I would just suggest to these smart folks, before they go off and do something really dumb, they might examine how well unionization has worked in the K-12 public schools.
While U.S. higher education has historically ranked high internationally, check out the ranking of our K-12 system. Results do matter if you want to be able to attract students and donors and get higher tuition.
You might also consider how professors are currently looked upon as professionals and paid individually versus members of teacher unions. Do professors and staff really want to be paid on scale like teamsters or autoworkers?
And speaking of autoworkers: The unions really worked out well in Detroit, didn’t they? What is the unemployment rate there?
I would advise those on campus to listen to reason—not the union organizers who want their dues—and make an intelligent decision, not an emotional one in the heat of the moment. If you aren’t smart enough to do that, we might not want you teaching our children.
Koch in Canadian ‘Super Bowl’
It seems like just yesterday that Cary Koch was playing football in his front yard down the street. After becoming an MVP as running back for the 2004 Class 1A champion Dunham Tigers, he signed a scholarship with Tulane. After his freshman year, he transferred to finish his last three seasons as a wide receiver at the University of Virginia.
Koch was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League this year. He worked his way into a starting position during the season and had four touchdowns in the six games leading up to The Grey Cup—the “Super Bowl of the CFL”—held this past Sunday.
The Roughriders took on the Montreal Alouettes in Edmonton. You’ll have to Google who won, as we went to press before the game. But regardless of the score, Cary Koch has proven he’s a winner—on and off the field. Baton Rouge is proud and we congratulate him and his parents, Johnny and Sally Koch.
