[Mpls] walker mix use

[Dorie Rae Gallagher]

Yes, it does bother me in order to have a library open we need to go out and solicit money. I do commend Franklin for achieving what they have...but Trivent stepped in with a lot of money , the Mayor also fundraised to the tune of $50,000.00 and the Friends of the Library helped. We have not had that type of help because we are assumed...white, middle class working people who keep an stiff upper lip, won't say anything in adversity and will take a lot of crap without complaint.
                                                                                                                                                                         The Nokomis area is not wealthy, we do not have large businesses with which we can partnership and when we first went looking for money,  we were told by the Mayor his hands were tied. Once again, we go back to,,why help one area and not another. What makes one area and the people more important than another area?  Fifty thousand would have given us Sat. for a year. Why was Franklin, with figures of 10/11 given more hours than Nokomis with 3/4? Why are our children not that important. We have a large elderly populace that is not being considered.

What supposedly makes this country great for me is... open government, free speech, education (which would include libraries) and equality. We should not have to grovel for money to get our library open more than 50%....where is our tax dollar going to in the Nokomis area?  I am correct about the NRP monies being taken to pay for police. That's a given. That does not even bother me unless someone gives the impression that perhaps if  we work harder or are more committed,  we can have the institution of a library. Meanwhile, the impression of...let's spend more money uptown/downtown to make it vibrant and exciting......please don't spend my tax dollars like that unless the learning institutions such as schools and libraries are taken care of,
children and families have food and shelter, and we have a workable healthcare system.

If we want vibrancy and excitement...give a child a library card, give them knowledge and give them hope. That is true for the Phillips neighborhood, the Nokomis area, Cedar/Riverside  the Uptown area, all across this united plain. I have worked in the Phillip's neighborhood for many years, so am fully aware of the problems and yes, it would be selfish of me to deny anyone of safety. I would not do that ...but was that the point of the issue? I believe it was accessibility of money, past misuse of money, and trying to achieve some equality.


Dorie Rae Gallagher
lives Nokomis Area....
work area....
Powderhorn and Phillips