Some residents would like to see money spent on other priorities
The new $77 million Main Library will be built — but not without about a dozen capital improvement projects being put off so enough money can be made available to pay for it.
The Santa Monica City Council voted Tuesday to divert $21 million from various community projects to pay for the new library, which will begin construction May 1 and take two years to complete.
The original estimate for the library was $56 million, with a possible $9 million cost overrun. Voters in 2000 overwhelmingly approved a $25 million bond to pay for part of the library, while the rest was to come from downtown redevelopment funds.
But city officials decided to add “enhancements” to the project, such as more spaces in a below-ground parking garage underneath the library, as well as 5,000 square feet for the historical society and more space to display the murals of artist Stanton Macdonald-Wright. Better security and environmental features like natural lighting also added to the $12 million budget addition.
The city, which is facing a $11 million deficit this year, enjoyed a cash surplus during the past 10 years that allowed officials to allocate millions of dollars for capital improvement projects. About one-third of the funds are earmarked for maintenance and replacement programs and two-thirds are for one-time projects.
In January, city staff gave the Council a list of potential projects that could be delayed because $12 million more would have to be found to pay for added amenities to the library.
The council voted to divert funding from the following projects:
• $400,000 for traffic calming measures on city streets.
• $2.6 million for improvements to downtown parking structures.
• $6.7 million in improvements to Santa Monica Boulevard.
• $3.1 million for a City Hall expansion and retrofit.
• $300,000 to rehabilitate a historic beach club on Pacific Coast Highway.
• $150,000 to replace city signs.
• $1.3 million dedicated to landscaping Airport Avenue.
• $3 million in financing for the $120 million Civic Center area, as well as $1.4 million dedicated to planning the project.
City staff also was able to free up $940,000 that was given to Santa Monica as redevelopment money from the federal government as a result of the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
While prioritizing the cuts, the Council voted to keep some projects alive.
The Council allocated $520,0000 to upgrade restrooms at the city’s parks, $250,000 to build a new 15,000-square-foot park on Euclid Street, $2.1 million toward rebuilding the breakwater north of the pier and $774,000 for pedestrian improvements on certain city streets.
Assistant City Manager Gordon Anderson said the library isn’t experiencing a deficit as the media has recently suggested. He added that the Council and the community were aware of the additional costs three months ago when elected officials decided to make upgrades to the library facility.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that other projects and programs are being delayed as a result of those upgrades, some citizens suggested. Residents told the council on Tuesday that the money going toward the library should be spent on more critical necessities, like helping the financially-strapped school district.
“There is no library emergency in this town,” said resident John Petz. “How can you look at the community and say, ‘We have an $11 million city budget deficit and we have a school system falling apart based on projected state budget deficits but, no, we need to build this library,’
“I say eat the costs and keep the money and delay it until we can afford it because it’s clear we can’t afford it right now,” he added. “Stick close to home.... This is not the time to build a monument. Get your priorities straight.”
Anderson pointed out that $4.2 million already has been spent on planning and designing the new library. And because the city has entered into a construction agreement, delaying it would cost $6,000 a day.
“These economics associated with delaying the project could be fairly extensive,” Anderson said.
Tricia Crane, a local parent, also asked the Council to put the diverted money toward schools instead of the library.
“It seems unseemly while our children’s reading specialists are given pink slips, we are discussing building a new, nicer library and demolishing a perfectly good one,” she said. “I ask the (Santa Monica for Renter’s Rights) majority Council to honor your expressed commitment to social justice.”
Supporters of the library defended the funding of the new facility, saying it will benefit everyone in the community and is crucial to educating local children.
Councilman Ken Genser reminded the public that it’s not as simple as just giving additional money to the school district because the money in question is dedicated to certain programs and projects in specific accounts within the city budget.
The Council also agreed that it wouldn’t be wise to issue debt on the library in an effort to avert putting off capital improvements given the city’s current financial situation.
Council members agreed with city staff that issuing debt nearly doubles the amount that will ultimately be paid and would require 20 years of debt service of $2.4 million annually. However, issuing debt on the facility could be an option at a later time.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 27, 2003. Read the original PDF.