library – Sandy Rosenberg

Because one Pratt Library branch stayed open, all of the branches will now stay open longer.

The drug store at Pennsylvania and North Avenues had been burned. Protesters were confronting the police over the death of Freddie Gray. The Pratt library branch, however, stayed open.

The next year, the General Assembly passed legislation for the state to fund 75% of the cost of extending Pratt Library branch hours. The City would pay the rest of the cost.

Governor Hogan did not sign the bill into law because it mandated state spending. It took effect without his signature.

This coming Monday, every Pratt branch will be open until 8 pm.

In celebration, my District 41 colleagues and I will visit the five branches in our district.

5:00 PM – Edmondson Ave Branch, 4330 Edmondson Ave., 21229
5:30 PM – Walbrook Branch, 3203 W. North Ave., 21216
6:15 PM – Forest Park Branch, 3023 Garrison Blvd., 21216
7:00 PM – Reisterstown Road Branch, 6310 Reisterstown Rd., 21215
7:30 PM – Roland Park Branch, 5108 Roland Ave., 21210

Join us Monday night. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the vital role that our libraries play in our daily life. And to take out a book — or a CD.

The Preakness, pre-kindergarten, lead poisoning, and Enoch Pratt top my priority list this summer.

Pimlico Race Course should remain the long-term home of the Preakness. The study of that issue is underway, under the auspices of the Maryland Stadium Authority. If the report recommends building a new facility at Pimlico, my job will be to help make those recommendations a reality in Governor Hogan’s capital budget.

Attending kindergarten was not mandatory in Maryland until 2002. Now we must decide whether to do the same for pre-kindergarten. The benefits to 4-year olds are clear. They begin kindergarten with important skills and are less likely to fall behind their peers. How do we pay for this? How does the need compare with other education objectives?

None of my lead poisoning bills passed last session. My efforts this summer should lead to a different outcome next year. People on all sides of the issue have been meeting under the auspices of the state judiciary. Our recommendations, including compromises, will carry the weight of our diversity.

Libraries have become our window to both the printed word and the Internet. That’s the case in Roland Park, Edmondson Village, and the Bronx. House Bill 1401 provides additional funding for Pratt branches that increase their operating hours. Public and philanthropic dollars are needed to make this happen.

See http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/12/opinion/too-poor-to-afford-the-internet.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

To read more about these issues, go to the newly redesigned delsandy.com.