Los Angeles City Council members unhappy with the recent decision to rename the Central Library after Mayor Richard Riordan failed on May 1 to overturn the action. Their 7–5 vote to veto the April 19 tribute by the Los Angeles Public Library Commission was three votes short of the 10 needed to send the renaming issue back to commissioners, according to the May 2 Los Angeles Times.
Councilwoman Rita Walters, whose district encompasses the library, led the anti-Riordan debate, accusing library commissioners appointed by Riordan of pushing the proposal through with only one public hearing. Councilman Mike Hernandez countered that the mayor had contributed to literacy and education, adding that he hoped Riordan would “consider the library as something to leave many of his millions to.”
The nearly forgotten fact that the Central Library already bears an individual’s name—that of Rufus von KleinSmid, a former city library commissioner—surfaced during council debate. Riordan, who celebrated his 71st birthday after the council vote, submitted the final city budget proposal of his eight-year term on April 20 with $68.5 million earmarked for libraries, about double the amount available before he took office.
Posted May 7, 2001.