San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy and City Councilman Jim Madaffer unveiled a 10-year plan July 10 to construct a new downtown library and build, expand, or renovate 21 branches. The $303-million proposal goes to city council for approval July 20, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported July 11.
“San Diego needs to have a great library system,” Murphy said at a news conference. “This proposal offers at least the promise of that.” The plan will likely call for issuing bonds to cover up to two-thirds of the cost, with the rest coming from grants, developer fees, gifts, and grants. Construction of a $149.5-million main library would begin in 2004.
Under former mayor Susan Golding, the council had approved funding a new library with hotel taxes and the city’s tobacco lawsuit settlement as a backup, but the project was deferred to build a new ballpark.
Posted July 15, 2002.