Coming soon, new Downtown Library
Today is the day when Knox County Commission decides whether to grant Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale permanent control over the Knox County Library System or to go back to the library Board of Trustees like all of the other cities in the state.
So why should the temporary control granted to the County Mayor be made permanent? The Knoxville News Sentinel and Metro Pulse make the case but to save you a little time I can say it in fewer words. New Downtown Library. There that wasn’t so difficult was it?
Putting on my “Karnac the Magnificent” prediction hat I predict that Knox County Commission will ignore any common sense oratory from County Commissioner Mike McMillian and will vote for permanent control of the Library System to be granted to the County Mayor. Soon after the drum will beat for the new Downtown Library which according to the “Friends of the Knox County Public Library” is desperately needed. Is it? I guess it depends who you ask.
I am not sure exactly why, but this is a brilliant political move. One thought is that is will occupy the entire political mind share coming into the 2006 election sucking up the oxygen from other issues. Another thought is that it guarantees the urban vote to the County Mayor and all County Commissioners that vote with him.
Some might ask why a new $40 to 65 million dollar library with daring architecture should be built downtown when the branch libraries cost only around $5 to 7 million. The “Friends of the Knox County Public Library” have plenty of answers. That is a great name for a special interest group. There may be a clash with the “Friends of Knox County Taxpayers” group otherwise know as the rest of the Knox County. Isn’t it great sport when politicians pit City people versus County people? Red state or blue state?
Is there another issue that is on the political horizon that savvy political types would like to see suppressed. Oh there is, it is the dreaded and looming discussion of impact fees. The genie is out of the bottle as the little town of Farragut is underway with a full debate of impact fees. Knox County will have to follow. That is one discussion the Home Builders Association of Knoxville does not want to have in an election year.
October 24th, 2005 at 4:39 pm
Shit, man, try living in Memphis for a while. Of course, the screwy taxation doesn’t help things here. City residents pay city and county taxes, the latter of which go almost excluisvely to pay for new development out in the unincorporated parts of the county. Those unincorporated county residents pay no city taxes, thus city residents subsidize the hell out of the county residents, with the county residents doing almost nothing by way of reciprocity. The only reciprocal thing they actually do is help pay for the city schools, and that only because they (the county residents) lost a lawsuit.
Housing developments proudly advertise “no city taxes” when they develop in the unincorporated parts of the county.
But there’s been some revenge. The city of Memphis won a lawsuit which allows it to annex unincorporated sections of the county, and prevents those sections from incorporating to avoid annexation. So the city has been patiently waiting while those county sections build their infrastructure, tie in to water and sewer, etc., and when all the expensive stuff is done, the city annexes. 🙂
I’ll let Mike Hollihan do the rest of the city/county rant. 😉
By the way, how does SayUncle feel about impact fees. Though subject to abuse, I think I like the idea. And because it’s essentially a use tax, I’d expect the libertarian types to support it and prefer it to other means of finance.
October 24th, 2005 at 7:31 pm
Isn’t there a library downtown already? Yeah, that’s where I racked up some huge fines a couple years ago.
October 25th, 2005 at 7:31 am
This is actually news to me. Thank you. I thought the library was a dead deal as should be the Candy Factory buy out and the downtown bus station. Knoxville is trying so hard to compete and attract more business to downtown. The problem is they have no plan and have no idea what would make a downtown successful.
Also, I vote for impact fees. Usually reserved for high growth areas but I would suspect work well in medium to low growth areas with no money.
October 31st, 2005 at 12:35 am
Yes, all, please, check out the Friends of the Knox County Public Library at their website: http://www.friendsoftheknoxcolib.org. You’ll find out that the Friends are not a “special interest” group – they’re a non-profit with a membership of over 700 people that’s been around for 30 years. Their mission is to support the library and to encourage reading and literacy in the community. The Friends raise money through their annual used booksale, which is considered one of the best in the south, and most of the profits are used to help the library.
They’re really a horrible bunch.