Urgent Budget Message: No More Disproportionate Library Cuts!

Your public library needs your help today!

Additional information from Pennsylvania Library Association:

Many times, where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire. Today, there’s a lot of smoke in Harrisburg which may mean that the state budget fires (negotiations) are heating up.

The situation remains fluid. Public pressure—and lots of it—can still make a real difference. Legislators face two huge budget challenges: a revenue shortfall between $1.2 and $1.5 billion, and election-year constituencies opposed to any taxes. In the absence of new revenue, balancing the next budget through program cuts alone, poses a real danger to existing programs.

Tell legislators and the Governor that their constituents who depend on libraries have already done more than their fair share through deep cuts in the current budget—the four library line items already were cut this year by 73%, 51%, 21%, and 3% respectively.

Tell Harrisburg: No More Cuts to Libraries. Read the update and send the Governor and your legislators an email here: http://www.capwiz.com/ala/pa/issues/alert/?alertid=15111281

Or call their office using PaLA’s online Legislative Directory. You can browse for names from the alphabetical list or type in your zip code to find your State Senator and State Representative. After you locate them, click on the “contact” tab above their photo to find their phone numbers (and mailing addresses, too.) Search now.

Here’s what we know as of mid-day on Thursday.
Political posturing is less intense indicating that negotiations are substantive and progressing.
News reports and “capitol snooping around” indicate that negotiators are zeroing in on an overall budget figure in the range of $28 billion. This is more than the $27.5 billion in revenue expected next year, but quite a bit less than the $29 billion requested in Governor Rendell’s original budget (a draft budget that proposed 1% and 2% cuts for library line items.) Clearly, a $29 billion budget would require significant new taxes and fees to be passed by the legislature.
If the final budget is $28+ billion, this figure would include some new taxes, most likely on natural gas extraction, cigars, and smokeless tobacco.
No specific line items are available during this sensitive and fluid stage of negotiations. Given the worsening revenue picture that created a $1.2+ billion hole in the budget, the potential for more programs cuts—including libraries—remains real.

Now is a key moment to speak up and urge all your friends to do likewise. Tell Governor Rendell, your State Senator, and your State Representative this one simple message: No More Cuts to Libraries. Library line items already were cut this year by 73%, 51%, 21%, and 3% respectively. Tell them that cutting libraries again is unacceptable, especially during this recession when libraries are busier and more needed than ever. No More Cuts to Libraries.

And while you’re online, join PaLA’s Facebook page, “5.6 Million Pennsylvania Library Card Holders Can’t Be Wrong,” here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=123050057708453. Please share the link and invite your friends, too.

Thank you for taking action TODAY and spreading the word to your friends and family. Stay tuned for further updates as we gather more information.