To the editor:

According to an article about the possible building of a $30 million library, the Percent for Arts program could receive up to $800,000. I don’t think that could be considered a “small amount of the city budget.”

The senior citizens on fixed incomes and low-income families are struggling to pay property taxes, stay warm and pay for prescription medications.

I don’t have a problem donating to organizations when I can afford it. And that is a decision for me to make.

How can anyone justify spending city tax revenue on art projects, when you have senior citizens wearing coats inside their houses because they have to keep the heat turned down to 59 degrees so they can afford to live on $1,300 a month. Those all in favor of the Percent for Art program should try to live on $1,300 a month.

Senior citizens account for about 10 percent of the Lawrence population. How about asking them how much of their budget they spend on art? The Percent for Art program needs to be changed to the Percent for Those in Need Program.

Betty Henderson,

Lawrence