Titanic Post

Our City of Alamogordo needs a new library. The old one is bursting at the seams with not enough space for new bookshelves, archives, meeting rooms, and public computers. The Alamogordo Public Library is one of the most used public spaces in the county. Recently, a water line break under the building caused a corner of the building to sink. The foundation, a wall, and several roof structural supports cracked and portions of the library had to be closed off until they could be supported.

Years ago it was decided that a new library must be built. A five acre parcel across the street from the old library was donated to the city with the stipulation that it be used for a new library. Other sums of money were donated, auctions were held to raise money, grants were applied for and granted, but it was still not enough to cover the cost of a new library building. A new bond issue was proposed, and therein lies a problem for our community.

A few people, including members of the stodgy Eagle Forum, have decided that, in keeping with the right wing odors emitting from Washington, D.C., they don’t want their property taxes raised to pay for it. One such person even resigned her post on the Friends of the Library Committee in order to freely protest the issue. I imagine that the Eagle Forum will invest a good deal of money into a campaign to defeat the bond referendum.

My point here isn’t about the values-challenged right wing, but about the slow erosion of the common good and how it is affecting communities all over the country. This library is just one example. It is a process that contaminates the water we drink and the air we breathe. It is the reason that we have no universal health care. It is the reason that there are so many poor people. It is the reason that we have been asked to fight so many senseless wars. The tragedy of our commons is that people put their self interests over the interests of the community.

I believe that at the end of this story the bond issue will have passed and that our library will be rebuilt in it’s new location. I believe that the good people of Alamogordo will prevail. I believe that the majority of our property owners will realize what an asset a library is to the common good. However, we do need to keep our collective eyes on the Eagle Forum and their ilk.