American LibrariesSearch American Libraries  |
||
Site Navigation
Left Sidebar Items |
||
Budget Cuts Loom for Ohio LibrariesOhio public libraries are expected to take the biggest hit in a two-year, state-government spending plan announced on January 29 by Governor Bob Taft that incorporates a proposal to freeze the Library and Local Government Support Fund at current levels. The unanticipated move includes a $15-million cut to the Ohio Public Library Information Network. Ironically, the governor had proposed $808 million in new education spending that added $29.5 million for his OhioReads initiative. Lynda Murray of the Ohio Library Council told the Akron Beacon Journal that Taft has picked the wrong target. Libraries are “one of the heaviest-used public entities, and it’s hard to turn that spigot on and off,” Murray said. The fund, which provided about $507 million statewide this fiscal year, is one of three funds that receive percentages of state revenue from state taxes. About three-quarters of Ohio’s public libraries receive a majority of their funding from the state. The rest use a combination of state and local funding. It will be up to state legislators to determine how much money libraries must forfeit to balance the state budget. Posted February 5, 2001. |
Right Sidebar
|
|
