Sadly, recent Contra Costa Times articles have begun to toe a heavily pro-Measure R line. ... Contrast that with the recent piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, which takes a very fair look at the arguments around the library. ... For us, the central issue has always been the mega-parking garage planed for the corner of Broadway and Lincoln. A garage there is not right for the park, and will only encourage future high-density redevelopment of the beautiful old downtown. ...
The garage issue has taken a back-seat in much of the news coverage of Measure R, but we think plenty of people will vote 'No' when they learn of the 35-foot garage plan. Add to that the fact that Walnut Creek residents don't like to pay for their parking, and you have a losing proposition. ... We're becoming more confident that Measure R will fail, and hope that will force City Hall to bring real compromise to the table to build a reasonable new library. ... Citizens who have suggested that Civic Park is not the right place for a new garage and 42,000-square-foot library are correct. We'd like to see the City work with developers to site a large new library across the street from the movie theater, using the old Veterans site that now stands to become condos or more retail. ... The City has no trouble carving up our park; let them put their money where their mouth is. ... Measure R is also deeply flawed, as many citizens are pointing out, because it puts a new tax burden on only a small portion of the people who will use a new downtown branch. ... The City, which loves to roll out the red carpet for car dealers and their sales taxes, should put a quarter-cent sales tax hike on the ballot to fund library revenue bonds instead of the current discriminatory property tax. ...
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