Coffee Shop Crack Leaves Bitter Taste

* Congratulations to the city of Santa Ana and to the leaders of the city’s artist community for the opening of the Grand Central Art Center (March 1).

After many years and millions of wasted tax dollars, there is finally something to show for it. And now that this taxpayer-subsidized pipe dream of center founder Don Cribb and his cronies on the City Council is coming to fruition, they want to discriminate against businesses they deem not upscale enough.

How arrogant of this band of elitists to turn their backs on small businesses like the Neutral Grounds coffee shop in favor of larger, bigger-name businesses. Santa Ana owes it to these small-business owners who took a chance on the downtown area when nobody else would. The city should go to bat for them now.

As a lifelong resident of Santa Ana, I hope this venture succeeds. But as a taxpayer, I hope the residents don’t end up subsidizing this project forever. In a city that can’t afford to fill potholes or increase much-needed programs for our at-risk youths, I don’t understand how we can afford to pay for the “artists village.” I say let the art lovers pay for it.

SEAN H. MILL

Santa Ana

* Don Cribb, godfather of the Grand Central Art Center, amuses me with his observation about the need for a real bohemian coffeehouse such as Starbucks to replace Grace Sandlin’s coffeehouse, Neutral Grounds.

She currently serves artists, musicians and poets with food and coffee. The word “bohemian” refers to people or places that are unconventional and nonconforming. While Starbucks may be a fine coffeehouse, it certainly isn’t unconventional--yuppie, yes, bohemian, no.

GENE P. MORRIS

Dove Canyon