Seattle Pols Propose Replacing $15 Million
of Branch Bond with Gates Donation
Almost one year after Seattle voters overwhelmingly approved a $196.4-million “Libraries for All” bond measure to upgrade the city’s 107-year-old library system, the city council is weighing a proposal to divert $15 million of $57.9 million in branch-upgrade funds toward the new main’s construction.
Community activists such as Brian Livingston of the Civic Foundation are characterizing the shift as “totally unjustified” and are insisting that branches will be ultimately shortchanged despite official assurances to the contrary, according to the November 9 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. However, plan proponents emphasize that the branches’ refurbishment isn’t being cut since the transferred funds are being replaced by the Gates Learning Foundation’s recent $15 million gift, which was earmarked to augment neighborhood service.
The transfer would more than halve the city’s $25-million private-sector fundraising obligation for the central library’s $128.6-million construction costs.
The city council is slated to vote on the fund transfer in mid-November.
Posted November 15, 1999.
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