Political Opposites Speak Up for Spokane Library Branch

The East Side Branch is one of 3 --Hillyard and Indian Trail are the other 2 -- that is open just 22 1/2 hours per week.  (Closed Sunday and Monday.)

LINK

Link to November 17 Spokane Spokesman-Review article, "Political Opposites align for sake of at-risk library".  


Excerpt:  They disagree on many – perhaps most – of the major issues of the day, but Louise Chadez and Cindy Zapotocky are united on at least one: They strongly oppose the proposed closure of Spokane’s East Side Library.

Chadez, a liberal Democrat who ran unsuccessfully this year for state Legislature, and Zapotocky, the conservative chairwoman of the Spokane County Republican Party, were among about 15 people who testified against the possible closure during a Spokane Public Library Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday.

“This is one of the first times that east and west are on the same page,” Chadez said before the meeting.

Other political opposites who testified included city critic and conservative radio talk show host George McGrath and longtime prominent Democrat Tom Westbrook.

The library board, facing a deficit of nearly a half-million dollars, is considering closing the East Side Library, which would save about $150,000 a year. Library officials say East Side was chosen because it has the lowest number of visits and items checked out among the system’s six branches.