Press Release
For Immediate Release Contact: Rep. Mark Moses
July 23, 1999 Phone: 586-8500
"When we build it, she (librarian) will come" Moses Says
Representative Mark Moses (R-Makakilo, Kapolei, Ewa, Kunia, Village Park, Royal Kunia, Honouliuli) today commented on state librarian, Virginia Lowell’s remarks about building a library in Kapolei. Her comments were published in the July 22, 1999 Star Bulletin article entitled, "State librarian wary of proposed Kapolei branch.""I can appreciate where the state librarian is coming from. If I lost 20% of my staff and am ranked as 45th in the nation in terms of funding, I would be very careful of not biting off more than I can chew, Rep. Moses said.
"However, for the past three sessions the Legislature has been extremely supportive of funding needed community improvements and other projects in Kapolei. It passed two large appropriations for the Kapolei Middle School and the Kapolei High School. These were the top priorities of the community, and now it is time to go for the library," Moses explained.
"At this point we are talking about money for construction. Staffing and other expenses for operating the library would be in subsequent budget years. The cash flow situation in the state and the state economy have forced us all to scale down larger projects into smaller pieces, which will likely happen with the Kapolei Library, as long as state revenues are down," Moses added.
"The new Second City and the Ewa plain deserve a first class library, and the legislature has in the past committed itself to fund such an endeavor. Ms. Lowell is entirely correct to point out there is little sense in building a library unless we provide the funds to operate it. Since this is now the Number One priority in our community, I am confident we will have the best library in the State in a few years."
Rep. Moses is scheduled to meet with Ms. Lowell next week to continue the planning process for the Kapolei Library. "Both of us are committed to making this work", Moses concluded.
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