The city's libraries are open again on Mondays. You may have noticed that annoucement in the news where the city politicians are taking the credit, led by mayor villaraigosa, as usual, who pounce upon any opportunity to give an appearance of effectiveness.
The money was the issue according to the city council and the March election gave voters Measure L to approve to move more money to the library's budget. Yes, politicians brag that it did not raise taxes, but they don't tell you what it DID do.
The change that happened from Measure L is a simple one, it just makes the library's share of the pool of money guaranteed as a larger sum- AND THIS MEANS it will have to TAKE AWAY from another department the money to keep things in balance. That impact will be more clearly seen when that cuts for making up the balance happens.
Closting the libraries on Mondays was in my view a political stunt to get the public to later support restoring the day by approving another manipulation of the budget picture. The city council COULD have left the libraries open on Mondays by their own power, but THEYwere the ones who decided WHAT department gets funded and what departments get CUTS. They chose the libraries- had they chosen a less visible part of city operations, maybe the level of attention would not be enough to get voters swayed to the positions put forth as "solutions" as they would where it the libraries, a more essential service to the city.
So taking credit for what condition they CREATED is not the meritorious act they'd have you believe. Taking credit for anything "good" is a practice you will find, most often displayed by mayor villaraigosa, always the narcissist. You are not told of the "discretionary" funds of assorted amounts, that the city council members have, that they can apply for matters in their district. You did not see any CMs volunteer ANY money to keep ANY libraries in their districts OPEN on Mondays by taking some discretionary funds from their own accounts. No, they use this for self promotion and splash lots of it around in the election years to get voters attention and buy loyalty, shown by the period ending with the March elections.
You don't have much mention that the libraries, by the terms of Measure L, will become a stand-alone entity, meaning "independent" for a shorthand description. Much like children grow up and eventually, move out, with the parents no longer providing the food, housing and so on. The city council sees its job made easier to push the library department out from under its umbrella and have it pay its own utilities and other costs of operation that were part of the benefit from being entirely under the city's system.
I think there's more to see in the future that's still putting the library in a bind and still having cuts to be made to other spending where the money is taken from- that is not highlighted ever. City Council continue largely to do what IT wants, driven by personal agendas and special interests.
A lot of CM's time spent with lobbyists making their requests would be lots more than the skimpy 2 minutes any one person gets in public comment on a matter. Keep that picture in mind whenever you have a question about why things in City Hall are being decided in the ways that they are.
The libraries being closed on Mondays was shameful in how a city considers the needs of its consitutuents, but poltical planning was a far more important consideration above all else. It needs to change.
The next City elections will be in March 2013. There will be some open coucil seats then. One is in Lincoln Heights, as Ed Reyes' CD-1 current term is his last. Look for him to keep looking for another political office to head for He filed last year for an expected open seat in the state's office but, like musical chairs, sometimes there's a spot you find and sometimes it's not there. It didn't open after all, so Ed stayed put in City Council.. Career Politicans manage to talk their way into more terms but lose touch with being a public servant and become used to "being" served instead. A change through voting is what's needed.
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