Glenn Miller, Executive Director of PA Library Association writes:
May, 24, 2011….Hershey Public Library…
A vote on the 2011-12 state budget is expected this week in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Your help is needed.
Your state representative needs to be reminded of the importance of library services supported by state funding, and that you support the library portion of the state budget under consideration in Harrisburg. Here’s a link (http://www.capwiz.com/ala/pa/home/) so that you can quickly and easily send an email to your state representative.
Background
You’ll recall that Governor Corbett’s budget proposal largely sustains state support for library services at levels almost equal to this current year. Here’s a chart showing recent state funding for library services: http://palibraries.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=406
In this economy still recovering from a deep recession, and after two years of state cuts totaling more than one-third, largely sustaining library funding for next year would be a good outcome.
Last week, the Republicans, who hold the majority in the State House, took the Governor’s proposal and, while maintaining his no-tax pledge, re-shaped his budget plan adding back more than $200 million for school districts, and restoring more than $380 million for higher education. For state support for library services, the House Republican plan—House Bill 1485—recommends funding at the same levels recommended by Governor Corbett.
A vote by the full PA House of Representatives is the next step, and HB 1485 is poised for this vote during the week of May 23. The budget will only be final when approved also by the State Senate and the Governor.
We recognize that this budget is not perfect and that other cuts at the state and local level may still adversely impact library services at colleges and universities, at school libraries, and at public libraries that receive significant local support through school district budgets. At the same time, we also recognize that securing this amount of library funding from the state level at a time when the overall state budget is shrinking by $700 million is no small feat. The credit for this positive news in an otherwise difficult year goes to the many, many energetic and passionate advocates who carry the library message.
We’ll keep you posted on the next steps. Thanks for your great advocacy and for contacting your state representative.
