EDITOR'S OTE: The fol­
lowing is a copy of I tter
nt by Milen C. Gray to
the Regional Director of
the Department of HOuRn
and Urban Development
(HUD Ron Gatton. r.
Gray also sent cop. of the
letter to Senate Carl Levin
and Donald Riegle; Con-
gre an David Stockman
and oon Landrieu, Dir-
ector of HUD and mem­
ber of the Pre "dent' C b­
" t.
Dear r. G tt :
I auld like 0 b "
to your ttention th itu­
ation concerning the Com­
munity Deve opment Pro­
gram, operated by the
City of Benton Harbor.
For aD practical pu
" pr98J'Ull· no 10
c
A CITY WITHOUT
AUBRARY?
Lib for countle
numbers of years haw
formed ry vi part of
" ty' communication
education. Through
bo and other media,
peopl of all of life
ithin community re
bl to gather kno ledge.
Librarie meet th inf onna­
tion need of studen ,
teachers, busine en, g v­
emment officials, scho rs,
en and many other
. groups of people. Some tum
to the library for kno led
bile others to obtain
m terial for lie-time
tivity.
libraries not only pro­
vide enioyment for children,
but often stimul te their are mainly maintained by
ppetite for reading. In local taxe . Som librarie
ddition, visiting the library are fortun te to recei the
a ry ardin tivity support of organization
for nio citizen to enj oy and pri te donor. Ho -
isure hours. er, the Benton Harbor
In ite of all that the Public Library is dependent
Benton Har 0 Public upon local e.
Library off to our com- . . h all our per­
munity, it h come to a sonal finances, th library ,
crisi period - period of too, ha d increa d bud­
sink. or swim - for la ets through th years, and
of b ic operational funds. the rising co 15 continu to
It ould seem enough that put an extreme d ry
the library chaIlen d re train on its bud et.
with keeping p ee with the So much so that, not only
ever-growing information ha rvices been drastical­
boom, but, instead, our Iy cut, but it is ry Ii ely
library m t battle to that Benton Harbor m y
bove the ever-growing la soon become a city ithout
of finance. libr
I'm certain that e Our library d
a are that public librari Th t is, it n ds
functioning. The City an-
r, f. Paul cCaUl y,
him If dmitted this.
As former member
of til Benton H bor Citi­
zens Advisory Board, I
ell a of the prob em
that have be t the ro­
gram over the p year. It
has become readily appar­
ent to me th t not only
the City of Benton
Harbor iolated f deral
regulation pertainirtg to th
CD program but pparently
been doi so with
the tad of
HUDo
Reader: "Supper
librarv millage"
I ZE G 0
Citizens to
group fonned to
th milia reque on the ay 20 ballot will m t
Thrusday, y 8 t the Ubrary at 6:30.
met ith the city's employees on April 30 0
ppott for the miU d to e th
Editor:
Can I e today 0
35-y ar old budget? Then
ould I expect the Library
to do the impo ible? T
economy has changed -
yet e must progr .
Therefore, vo�ers give your
or s
s.
That's regardle of ho good it
It
the
himlf
A � but
dramatic actio by the city
oomm· . n in the two
before the mi
could do more to
any
finn
pport to Library.
Vote for the Library mil­
ay 20. T child­
ell the dults
of th
Esther .Clay
clio Centi
Alfr
olliday
at can th
. on do to pe e voter
that an incre in their
taxes wiD go to I orthy
ca ? The commission can
pass three resolution .
- Put the city's gal
o out for bid;
- Ad and t
a time limit for hiring a
city e . r;
- Elimina the person-
nel co tant cost.
three ould
peop
any p.r.
2