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S.F. libraries may dip into preservation fund
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Mayor Gavin Newsom joins other city officials in a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new Portola Branch Library on Tuesday.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - The City’s branch library improvement program is picking up steam, with one renovated library and one newly constructed library scheduled to open in the coming months.
Due to a slow start and escalating construction costs, however, several other ventures have been delayed and five branch projects — Bayview, Golden Gate, Merced, North Beach and Ortega — are on hold until $40 million to $50 million in additional funding can be secured.
To get that funding, library officials are eyeing a library preservation fund approved by voters in 1994 that earmarks a percentage of city revenues for library operations.
The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to place a City Charter amendment on the November ballot that would authorize The City to issue debt secured by or repaid from the fund, which could be used for the remaining facilities improvements.
Mostly funded by a $106 million improvement bond approved by San Francisco voters in 2000, the $141 million branch library improvement program was scheduled to have 19 renovations and four full construction projects completed by 2009.
Library officials have done more proactive outreach to contractors, which in turn has encouraged more bids and more competitively priced contracts, according to City Librarian Luis Herrera, speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for the new $6 million Portola branch library. Originally scheduled to begin construction in 2006, the new branch is now slated to open in early 2009.
Since 2001, four branch projects have been completed, including renovations of three libraries and construction of the new Mission Bay branch.
Two of the branch projects — West Portal and Sunset — were completed earlier this year. On Aug. 4, the library will reopen the Marina branch, following its $3.9 million renovation. A $4.3 million Western Addition renovation is slated for an October debut.
“It’s been years, and they’ve only got what, four done?” said Dan Weaver, chairman of the San Francisco Library Citizens Advisory Committee. “Now, they’re gaining speed.”
While the CAC initially opposed using the library preservation fund to help support the branch improvement program, an amendment to the new legislation that limits use of the funds to property taxes that come in above a set baseline has assured the group that operating funds won’t be reduced to pay for the new bonds, Weaver said.
Not all library fans have been so assured. Peter Warfield, founder of the Library Users Association, sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors earlier this month warning that the amendment in effect “endorsed a 15-year freeze on library operations funding.”
Quiet, please
Where library projects stand
» COMPLETED
Excelsior July 2005
Mission Bay July 2006
West Portal February 2007
Sunset March 2007
» NEAR COMPLETION
Marina August 4
Glen Park October 13
» CURRENTLY CLOSED
Noe Valley
Western Addition
Richmond
- Source: San Francisco Public Library
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Comments from Examiner Readers
2:28 PM MST on Tue., Sep. 18, 2007 re: "Huge shortfall for library renovations in S.F."
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12:26 PM MST on Tue., Sep. 18, 2007
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11:38 AM MST on Tue., Sep. 18, 2007
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11:23 AM MST on Tue., Sep. 18, 2007
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6:45 AM MST on Tue., Sep. 18, 2007
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5:09 PM MST on Wed., Jul. 18, 2007
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3:50 PM MST on Wed., Jul. 18, 2007
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2:37 PM MST on Wed., Jul. 18, 2007
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Native San Franciscan said:
I support funding for our libraries. Most people do. That’s not the issue. The issue is our tax dollars being spent wisely and in a cost effective manner. The City and County of San Francisco is one of the most inefficient and wasteful spending machines I’ve ever seen. The budget for the City and County of San Francisco is $6 billion dollars, a budget bigger then that of 20 states. But does the Muni run on time? Are the streets clean? Are the parks well maintained? How can San Francisco spend so much money and its public infrastructure look so bad? That’s the question we should be asking City Hall.
153 agree | 159 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Yes Moscone Park comes to mind. The library (white contractor) was 8 months behind schedule. The rec center is 4-5 months ahead of schedule (minority contractor). Not trying to troll. Just the facts. The library contractors would disappear for days. The rec center they contractor is there 12hrs every day mon-sat.
153 agree | 159 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This is just the tip of the political iceberg. If they are twenty months late on each project that adds up to decades of delay, and with $50 million overbudget, it is safe to conclude that they never intended to be on schedule and on budget. This is just another circuit in the merry-go-round of "more money" to pay for the broken promises of last time. The truth is that the library has become a cesspool private philanthropists and construction contractors who have been draining millions from the city and by now have shown open contempt for accountability or the public benefit. This is another example of Mayor Newsom's cronyism coming to the surface. It is time to make the public library, public again.
149 agree | 127 disagree
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Gretchen said:
A bond for $106 million was approved to fund a set number of projects. Now it seems that another $50 million is needed. That's nearly a 50% increase in the planned cost! That just isn't acceptable. Yes, we should probably fund it because libraries are an integral part of any society, but we need some accounting oversight on these projects so that they don't go 50% over budget! There needs to be a project plan with each task identified with an associated cost. When the money is spent, stop. If $100,000 is budgeted for community meetings, then don't spend any more than that! Budgeting means you may not be able to include expensive trims, or fancy fixtures. It also means that you may not be able to work overtime and pay overtime rates. What we need to to is approve additional financing. What we should do is say "Halt", you've spent your money and some projects won't get finished. Who has been monitoring this project and protecting the taxpayers? How could this happen?
152 agree | 157 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
San Francisco's libraries serve so many needs. They provide services for kids, families, seniors, and immigrants that go far beyond providing books. Our libraries make our city great and deserve our continued support.
145 agree | 141 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
No wonder Barry Bonds had so much success here and the Giants never one. This city is addicted to bonds and it will end up the same way the Giants did. Paying alot of money and getting nothing for it!!! Evcept the politicans of course!!
152 agree | 109 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
San Francisco continues be be the "City that knows how." It is gratifying to know that the city leaders understand how important our libraries are in each neighborhood. I have visited Mission Bay and the renovated branches. The renovations are spectacular and I am thankful that these projects were completed with such thoughtfulness to original architectual detail. Library officials are to be congratulated for their thorough and splendid work!
218 agree | 214 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
It is encouraging to see city and community resources being spent on something that benefits so many people of all ages and income levels in so many areas of the city ...and that will do so for decades to come.
210 agree | 190 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I am proud of San Franciscans for supporting our neighborhood libraries. Committing to rebuilding our branch library system reflects our values. The Mission Bay Library is helping to build a new community. The Excelsior, Sunset, and West Portal Libraries are now seismically safe, well equipped, and providing great library services to people of all ages and interests. Let's applaud this program to renovate our branch library system. Great libraries build strong communities.
198 agree | 199 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Our public libraries are the hearts of the city's neighborhoods - community centers, recreational facilities, schools - all rolled into one. EWhere else can you check out new DVDs, use computers, learn English or search for an apartment, all for free? The libraries deserve our support because they, in turn, support the community.
216 agree | 193 disagree
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