Tuesday, July 29, 2003

Local Luminaries Lobby for Library

On Tuesday, July 22, San Marino Mayor Matthew Lin, Councilmembers Emile Bayle and Betty Brown, Legislative Liaison Suzy Crowell, and City Manager Rob Wishner traveled to Sacramento to lobby state representatives to support the partial funding of a new library building. These state funds are available under the Library Bond Act of 2000 that was created by the passage of Proposition 14.

They met with Assembly representative Judy Chu and Library Bond Act Manager Richard Hall. Hall noted that competition for this second round of funding was stiff as applying libraries from around the state have asked for about five times the amount of funds available.

The San Marino contingent also met with members of the California Public Library Construction and Renovation Board or their deputies. They delivered over 100 letters of support for the new library written by San Marino citizens, along with an executive summary outlining the deficits of the current library building and plans for the new one.

The California Public Library Construction and Renovation Board will announce the winners of its Second Cycle Grant Awards in the fall. More information about the Library Bond Act of 2000 can be found on the Office of Library Construction web site: http://www.olc.library.ca.gov.