[PAMAILALL] Governor's Proposed Budget Trims Library
Programs for 2010-11
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 5:05 PM
From: "Glenn
Miller" <glenn@PALIBRARIES.ORG>
Good
snowy afternoon, library supporters.
Today
Governor Rendell announced his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2010-11 which
begins on July 1. Here is a chart that lists the appropriations related
to library services and how the Governor’s proposed budget compares to this
current year’s budget:
|
Program |
FY 09-10 FINAL (as passed in Oct. 2009) |
FY 09-10 ADJUSTED
(Funds placed in reserve (Jan. 2010) after 09-10 state budget
finalized, Oct. 09) |
GOV’s
PROPOSED FY 2010-11 BUDGET (09-10 FINAL
vs.
10-11 PROPOSED) |
DOLLARS CUT (09-10 FINAL
vs.
10-11 PROPOSED |
% CUT (09-10 FINAL
vs.
10-11 PROPOSED) |
|
Office of Commonwealth
Libraries (includes State Library operations) |
$ 2,396,000 |
$ 2,372,000 |
$2,372,000 |
$ 24,000 |
- 1.0 % |
|
Library
Services/Visually Impaired & Disabled |
$ 2,926,000 |
$ 2,926,000 |
$2,897,000 |
$ 29,000 |
- 1.0 % |
|
Library Access (POWER
Library, statewide card, interlibrary delivery) |
$ 3,000,000 |
$ 2,970,000 |
$ 2,970,000 |
$ 30,000 |
- 1.0 % |
|
Electronic Library Catalog (Ask Here PA, Access PA database) |
($ 0 - programs merged
into Library Access) |
See line above |
See line above |
0 |
0 |
|
Public Library Subsidy |
$ 60,000,000 |
$ 60,000,000 |
$58,800,000 |
$1,200,000 |
- 2.0 % |
|
|
|
|
|||
|
Total – All Programs |
$ 68,322,000 |
$ 68,268,000 |
$ 67,039,000 |
$1,283,000 |
- 1.9% |
Some
of the initial reactions that I’ve heard range from relief (that the cuts
aren’t deeper) to anger and frustration that libraries will face cuts even as
the Administration touts a commitment to education and provides a $354 million
increase for the Basic Education (K-12) Subsidy.
For
now, I just wanted to share the numbers in Governor Rendell’s proposal and
emphasize that they represent a proposal and not the final word.
The numbers might go down or they could go up if we work hard together and get
a bit of luck, too.
The
PaLA Legislative Committee was scheduled to meet on
Thursday but yet another major storm is now underway across the state and we’ve
decided to postpone that meeting. Please know that the Legislative
Committee will be working on PaLA’s strategy and
message and we will sharing more as soon as we have specifics. In the
meantime, I think it is fair to assume the following:
1. The
growing demand for library services during this recession more than justifies
an increase not a cut in state support for libraries.
2. Despite
the seeming disconnect here in Harrisburg between “education” and “libraries”, Pennsylvanians
do consider libraries a key element of education which deserves increased
funding not further cuts.
3. The loss
of POWER Library and other shared resources runs counterproductive to our
state’s efforts to improve education.
4. The most
powerful voices on our behalf are the people who depend on and believe in the
value of good public library services. Please do everything you can to
encourage their advocacy.
We
will be back in touch more information about PaLA’s
next steps. Thank you in advance for your dogged support of good library
service for all Pennsylvanians.
Glenn
Glenn
R. Miller
Executive
Director
Pennsylvania
Library Association
220
Cumberland Parkway, Suite 10
Mechanicsburg,
Pennsylvania 17055
phone: 717-766-7663
fax: 717-766-5440
e-mail: glenn@palibraries.org