Comments on: Fulton County library bond: Vote no

By: Atlanta central library earns spot on worldwide watch list | Fresh Loaf

Atlanta central library earns spot on worldwide watch list | Fresh Loaf — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:07:30 +0000

[...] who also designed the similar Whitney Museum in Manhattan. Last fall, Fulton voters approved a $275 million bond referendum that included funds dedicated to relocating the central library to another site. The Breuer [...]

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:01:04 +0000

I am glad to see that your eforts to defeat this referendum failed.

By: vote NO

vote NO — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:55:28 +0000

275 million – VOTE NO.

I am for books, but come up with an alternative plan less than 1/4 billion dollars.

This is govenment at work!

By: Thomas

Thomas — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:20:34 +0000

Voting NO makes the most sense. Not enough people live downtown to use the central library the way community branches are used. If you do intend to vote yes, just spend 10 minutes at the Bill Gates donated computer center at the Central Library and you’ll see mismanagement at its best. Junkies and homeless people monopolize the pcs to look at music videos, p0rn and play games, while the occasional job searcher or student waits their turn to get information. Also, tourists don’t go to libraries citizens do. City of Atl. doesn’t need $85 million more to do the same in a new building. Plus if the same politicians wouldn’t have razed the old Carnegie library, they wouldn’t have to build a better looking one. Vote out Rob Pitts next time he’s up for ruining this amendment.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:26:40 +0000

$275 million sounds like a lot of money (and it is for the county as a whole), but there are some important aspects that should be examined. Like the fact that it will mean only $18.96 in additional taxes PER YEAR on a house that costs $150,000, and $37.92 for a $300,000 home. That seems pretty insignificant. I don’t use the libraries very frequently and honestly, I still value that resource at more than $2-$3 per month.

And the full extent of the referendum will be 8 brand new libraries, 2 expansions and 23 (much needed) renovations. Hopefully, when they’re done, they’ll be able to offer regular ESL and GED classes in more than just the central library.

Really, though, the reason why I’m voting for this bond referendum has more to do with the fact that there are FAR worse things to spend public money on than libraries.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:21:27 +0000

My family uses the library once a week, so we have a vested interest in seeing it supported appropriately.

That said, I’m voting NO because of the $85 million addition to the Central Library.

In case Fulton didn’t get the memo, these are lean times and we need to set fiscal priorities. A brand-new downtown library is not one of them.

By: Hensley Roberts

Hensley Roberts — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:49:44 +0000

It should be noted that as the economy gets worse, more and more people will need the free services of a library. Many of the communities don’t have a library close, or they one they have is outdated. Passing this bond would fix that. At what price? If your home is valued at $300,000, you would only pay about $3 a month. A $200,000 home would only be about $2 a month. Worth it, I think!

By: Best d’Atlanta - 10.17.2008 (Bored Friday Edition) — Inside The Sprawl

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:06:13 +0000

[...] gotta agree with Creative Loafing on this one. Vote no on the Fulton County library bond. We love books. We collect books like [...]

By: Charlie

Charlie — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:43:58 +0000

I agree that the bond should not be passed. While public libraries are obviously a worthy cause, the fact that $85 million would be allocated for a new central library makes this impossible to support.

While perhaps out of style at present, the 1980 brutalist central library, designed by world-renowned architect Marcel Breuer, is one of the most significant examples of modern architecture in the city. It’s time for Atlanta to stop demolishing its history and appreciate what we have.

The central library also recently underwent a major renovation. This is poor planning and judgment at its worst.

By: james

james — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:32:16 +0000

thanks! as a frequent library user i was up in the air about this one.

since i am pretty much voting in complete opposition to all of cl’s endorsements anyway, i have now decided this referendum will indeed get my yes vote!