The F 2011 PA Commonwealth budget has cut state public library subsidies by 9.1%. But that isn’t all of the bad news. Since library funding may be further cut, the State has switched from annual disbursements to monthly allocations.
According to the report of a response by State Rep. Mike Sturla before Lancaster Chamber of Commerce gathering, the intent of the state is to induce the local communities and counties to pay a greater portion of the library costs. He indicated that the intention of the state is to cut funding until State and communities share costs 50 – 50.
Pennsylvania is among the top states when it comes to funding libraries. Conversely, funding by counties and municipalities in Pennsylvania is near the very bottom of the rankings.
Libraries throughout the county have been shortening their hours and even their days. Evidence of the deleterious effect of such cut backs, circulation of books and other items have dropped, thus reversing the trend.
The libraries of Lancaster will have an excellent opportunity in the presidential election year of 2012 to put a referendum on the ballot seeking a separate county tax to subsidize libraries. Such an effort failed by a close margin during a non-federal election year in the past, a time when few people vote and those who do tend to be older and fiscally conservative… in short, the worse time to seek such relief.
The ONLY way a local tax will be approved by voters is IF the “Library System” sheds its wasteful overhead. Otherwise, opponents of the “Library System” will once again focus on how much funding it diverts away from local libraries, creating opposition to the proposed tax in the process.
There is no good reason for the “Library System” to consist of more than the Bookmobile and a central shared Information Technology department. The current paid staff contains far too many positions that are simply not needed for the operation of local libraries, and its first-class office space is an unnecessary luxury.
As the push to limit the functions of the Federal and State governments continues, funding for more and more services will be forced upon local taxpayers. Unfortunately, cash-strapped local governments like Lancaster City are in no condition to increase payments for any non-essential services at all.
In the 21st century, many people have been loudly clamoring for “local control” and “personal responsibility”. As the ultra-conservative self-determination movement gains political influence, funding for libraries, parks & recreation, and other quality-of-life functions of government will continue to decline.