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County Budget Cuts Will Force Buffalo Libraries to CloseA reduction of more than $19 million in county funding to the Buffalo and Erie County (N.Y.) Public Library will force its central library and all 51 branches to close their doors in January, library officials have announced. The proposed 2005 county operating budget, released November 5, reduces funding from $24.2 million in 2004 to $5.2 million in 2005, triggering an additional loss of $2.8 million in state library aid.“With cuts of this magnitude, the library system as we know it would collapse,” said library board Chair Rebecca Pordum. “After January 1, 2005, hundreds of thousands of citizens who depend on their libraries would find locked doors at all 52 locations.” The B&ECPL administration estimates that the $5.79 million left in its operating budget will not even be sufficient to pay the costs of closing all the branches. Unemployment and employee termination expenses for 400 full-time and 700 part-time employees receiving pink slips would cost that much alone. The severe budget cuts, first suggested in an October 18 letter to Library Executive Director Michael Mahaney, would offset a rise in county Medicaid costs and not result in lower property taxes for residents. Posted November 5, 2004. |
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