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A number of the candidates encouraged by Mayor Irene Elia to run for the Library Board in the upcoming June 19 vote to determine whether the city maintains control of the library system do not have library cards, and several others only obtained one in the last two weeks, the Reporter has learned.
Among those running are Elia supporters whose residency in the city is questionable and others are city employees interested in keeping the Earl Brydges and LaSalle libraries locked under control of the municipal unions.
A win for the Elia candidates on June 19 would mean that the mayor's office -- and not city residents -- would determine library hours, computer and Internet access, what books and magazines are added to the collection and other aspects of library service.
City Council unanimously endorsed the "community library" concept put forth by the Library Board, under which voters -- and not politicians -- would determine the systems funding levels.
"The bottom line is that were being accused of a lot of things, but what were doing is what the City Council told us to do," Library Board Chairman Cynthia Bianco said. "This administration doesn't want the people of Niagara Falls having a say in the kind of library services we have here."
The situation has been particularly acute since Elia took office, because joblessness and poverty put a particular strain on library services. Without a long-term solution to funding the library, the issue becomes a political football in the often rancorous game of city politics.
"This is a quality of life issue," she said. "And with so much poverty, we've never had so much use of this library."
Lockport and North Tonawanda have used the community library concept for decades without problem, but Niagara Falls has resisted the idea.
"Its a matter of control," Bianco said. "They don't want to give up any of their power, regardless of the consequences to the city.