By Honora Murphy: Alameda Journal: Aug. 13, 2009
I have worked for more than 30 years for libraries in Alameda, from promoting school library services to the development of an adequate main library and branches to provide library services to the whole community. As I visit the main library and its branches, it is obvious that students, from preschool to elementary, high school and college, to adults and seniors are making use of these facilities.
The Revitalized Alameda Point plan includes 47 acres of civic spaces including a new branch library, a community center, schools, fire house and post office. These new facilities will benefit not just future residents of the Point, but current residents as well. The new facilities will pay for themselves through new revenues that will be generated by the project itself, not from current taxpayers.
Right now Alameda taxpayers are paying for maintenance on roads, pipes, sidewalks and sewers at the Point that date back to World War II. These are in areas that few people can use and are a constant drain on the taxes we pay today.
The longer we wait to move forward on this project, the more money we are forced to spend on the upkeep of this idle and decaying infrastructure. The more money we spend on the upkeep of this idle infrastructure, the more we lose out on using our resources for new schools and public safety.
I urge Alamedans to get behind the plan that will bring prosperity to this ignored portion of our city and put it to good use for all Alamedans.
