Opinion: Do We Need a Hero?

  • April 24, 2026, 7:55 am America/Los_Angeles

Just as the City Council began to publicly grapple with a budget shortfall, the Irvine Public Library was wrapping up a Community Planning Meeting series for the proposed Irvine Main Library in the Great Park.

Much to my surprise, California Gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter was in attendance at two of the three Community Planning Meetings, volunteering to join the board of the soon-to-be Irvine Public Library (IPL) Foundation. For those that don’t know, Porter, an Irvine resident and former Congressperson, is regarded as a master fundraiser. She told me at the April 7th meeting that she wants to bring her rolodex to bear on the new library system.

Her timing couldn’t be better. 

At the last City Council meeting, the public was briefed on a looming budget shortfall. Explanations include inflation, staffing and salary increases, and, among other things, new projects. If no action is taken, the shortfall is projected to grow from approximately $6M today to $40M+ within a decade.

When discussing the budget, Councilmember Treseder shared she recently learned “we only have about 65% of the funds to cover our library system”. (Jump to 06:56:30.)

Ahead of that Council meeting, Voice of OC reported the “invention” of IPL was among a number of projects that could explain the shortfall. Indeed, at the meeting, the new library system was a recurring talking point. For example, Councilmember Martinez-Franco shared she had been told “there is no money” to buy University Park Library or build the Great Park Library. (Jump to 7:02:39.) Councilmember Kathleen Treseder’s disclosure offered an even grimmer assessment when describing conversations with former City Manager, Oliver Chi: “He was recommending […] starting our own library system. Which I recently learned we don’t have the funds to cover. Thanks to Mr. [Sean] Crumby, he informed me that we only have about 65% of the funds to cover our library system.” (Jump to 06:56:30.)*

How Did We Get Here? 

There was long-standing disagreement between Orange County Public Library system (OCPL) and the City of Irvine regarding the level of service Irvine was entitled to receive as a donor city. Per IPL’s website: 

For the Fiscal Year 2022–23, Irvine contributed approximately $17 million in property taxes to the County of Orange to provide library services in our community. Of note, in the entire OCPL system, Irvine contributes the highest amount of property tax revenues, and Irvine’s contribution accounts for 28% of OCPL’s total annual property taxes revenue. Further, the libraries operated by OCPL in Irvine account for only 11% of OCPL’s entire library space.

Additionally, of the 32 libraries operated by OCPL, Irvine was home to the first and fourth most used libraries (Heritage and University Park, respectively). 

Prior to 2012, Irvine had made moves to pull-out of OCPL with similar justification. At the time, to appease Irvine, OCPL agreed to establish a set-aside fund, regularly putting aside a portion of Irvine’s tax revenue to fund library service improvements for Irvine. By 2022 the fund had reached $28M, only Irvine and OCPL could never agree on how to allocate the funds. When the impasse could not be overcome, the stage was set for Irvine’s withdrawal. 

On July 23, 2024 the terms of withdrawal from OCPL were presented to the City Council. Here are the key details:

  1. Of the ~$18M in tax revenue Irvine contributes to OCPL, Irvine will receive ~$9M+ and leave the remaining $9M with OCPL. (This allocation is explained in part by article H of the agreement, stipulating “that the City’s withdrawal from the OCPL System will not have a negative impact on the OCPL System and existing/remaining member-cities”.)
  2. Irvine forgoes the $29M set-aside funds in exchange for: 167,000 used books; used furniture, fixtures, and equipment located at the Heritage Park and University Park libraries; and County operation of all libraries in Irvine at no cost for ~1 year (estimated value ~$5M).
  3. A five-year lease for University Park Library set at $40K+ per month, not to be renewed.
  4. Heritage Park Library would be returned to Irvine.
  5. Katie Wheeler Library would shutter.

At the meeting, the Director of Community Services, Chris Slama assured Council that the $9M+ per year Irvine would receive in tax revenue was sufficient. (Jump to 04:04:00.) This accounting was consistent with the proposal City Manager Oliver Chi had made the year before. (Jump to: 2:45:00.)

Following the presentation, then-Councilmembers passed the agreement unanimously. Slide from City Manager Oliver Chi’s February 28, 2023 staff presentation entitled “Letter of Intent Notifying the County of Orange of Irvine’s Withdrawal from OCPL” asserting the viability of an Irvine Library System. (To watch, jump to: 2:45:00.)

Slide from Director of Community Services Chris Slama’s July 23, 2024 staff presentation entitled “Establishment of the Irvine Public Library System” detailing the funding secured for the proposed Irvine Public Library System. (To watch, jump to: 04:04:00.)

Irvine Remains a ~$10M/year “Donor” to OCPL With Little to Show For It

Library advocates have long found this deal to be subpar. In an email to council dated July 18, 2023 days before the decision to withdraw, Barbara Belfield, Friend of Heritage Park Library volunteer board member and treasurer, expressed concern over the sufficiency of the deal, flagging:

  • The cost of needed architectural modifications, 
  • Building out a new collection, and 
  • The diminishing library services with the concession of Katie Wheeler.

(Note: In response to public pressure, in January 2025 the County and City struck an agreement and Katie Wheeler Library was granted a 3 year lease for $30K+ per month.)

This, saying nothing of the tens of millions of dollars that will need to be secured in order to begin building a library at the Great Park that verges on the vision put forward this week.

In short: It seems the City has paid $28M for the privilege of paying the County ~$10M a year in lease and tax sharing agreements as the City administers a library system that (provided the County continues to grant us leases) is the same square footage it always has been.

Here is a snap of the concept discussed at the April 20, 2026 Great Park Library Community Planning Meeting. The full slide deck will be accessible here when IPL makes it public.

Failing a Hero, Here’s How You Can Help

Until an angel investor (or several) appears, the City needs to take a good look at where IPL is headed and what is needed to succeed in the near- and long-term. 

Here are a few ways you can help make sure that happens:

  1. Library Advisory Committee: A plan for a Library Advisory Committee is before Council on Tuesday, April 28. The plan would benefit from two revisions: dedicated positions for Irvine’s Friends of the Library Organizations and more frequent meetings. There is a community letter circulating that I urge you to add your name to.
  2. Irvine Public Library Foundation: A plan for the Foundation will be coming to Council soon. How it is set up is likely to have major implications for how collections, programs, services, building improvements and, of course, new facilities are funded. Subscribe to IPL for All to be sure you hear about it when it happens.
  3. Tune in to learn about the future of University Park Library: Sounds like the County is not interested in selling University Park Library. What’s next for the library will be the subject of an upcoming Council Meeting. The Coalition to Save University Park Library will keep you up-to-date on the latest.
  4. Attend as many Master Planning meetings as you are able: IPL’s much anticipated Master Planning Process is going to kick off in Irvine this summer. It’s a 12-18 month process that is slated to shape the next two decades of library services in Irvine. Attendance at city-wide feasibility and strategic planning sessions to date has not been great. Your pragmatism and passion is needed here. Please attend wherever you can. IPL and IPL for All will have your back with reminders. 

And last but not least – because I am not above shortcuts! – Katie Porter, Will Ferrel, Ezra Klein, Donald Bren, Zach De La Rocha, David Sun, Henry Samueli, Jon Lovitz, Henry Nicholas Lii, RJ Scaringe, and/or any other Irvine-connected person of or connected to wealth, please get in touch. It seems we could really use a hero…

*At a subsequent meeting the City Manager disputed this claim, though he later confirmed the library is critically underfunded.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Irvine Watchdog.