The Mayor Wants to Tie Libraries to the Museums in a straw vote: The KISS OF DEATH. By Geniusofdespair

The museums were supposed to be self supporting or we should have left them where they were. Now all of a sudden we are going to pay for running them besides giving them free land? We also paid to construct them!!! We paid $100,000,000 for the art museum and $175,000,000 for the science museum. They were supposed to have endowments -- what a scam.  More money: I don't think so! Let the rich people who wanted to locate them in our precious waterfront park pony up. The Museums were perfectly fine where they were located before.

This pairing of self-supporting museums with libraries would be the kiss of death for libraries in the straw vote. It is like saying "do you want your taxes raised to pay for abused babies, sports complexes and prison gyms." Not even a Sophie's Choice. That straw vote would fail just as this one would. If you asked people about a bond issue they are too stupid to realize they are paying for it. That would be a better way to go. That is what the museums did to get the money for construction.

I think the money for libraries should come from the current budget. Or there should be a line item on the tax bill: Would you pay $19.50 more to pay for libraries ONLY. It should be an exact amount.  I would pay $19.50 but not $20. I think it should then go directly to a library fund that the Mayor can't raid.  If it goes in the general fund it will get lost all over again. Truthfully, this straw vote idea sucks. Libraries should get some money from the Miami Heat and other entities getting a free ride. They are a service to citizens. How much have we given sports teams over the years?

America: You want to deal with an illiterate mass of people: Come to Miami.

LeBron James speak up for the libraries in the inner city they want to keep open for 4 hours a day. Ron Book, get your fundraising ass in gear.  I am appalled we even have to fight for library funding. It should just be there...in the budget now.  Our priorities are all out of kilter.