PROPOSED CUTS TO LIBRARIES "NEEDS MORE SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS"

Assembly Budget Subcommittee Says:
Proposed Cuts to Libraries "Needs More Substantive Analysis"
Assemblymember Remarks, "These Cuts Cannot Stand."
News from the Capitol: February 8, 2011
by Mike Dillon; Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyists

Highlights of Feb 7 meeting . . . . .

The Subcommittee Chair, Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla started the hearing by noting, "For purposes of full disclosure, I am a former High School English teacher and I helped start the literacy program in Concord and Contra Costa County and the network."

Brief comments were then offered by the State Librarian, Stacey Aldrich and the Department of Finance representative.

Chairwoman Bonilla:
"Why were these programs slated for elimination instead of reduction?"
Finance:
merely looking to capture a dollar amount to help balance the Budget.
Chair:

"But that is a huge difference. This is elimination. Zeroing it out. This puts the federal dollars at risk." She then added, "In this entire Budget process, it is very important to understand the cuts in the context of the broader economy and the health and vitality of the state of California. It would be very helpful to understand the economic impacts of eliminating [literacy] money that is being used to put people in a working environment, which leads to more income tax. This is not a contrived argument - when you can't read you earn less. It would be helpful for the DOF to look at the economic impact."

Legislative Analyst's Office: in a process such as this you have to decide, "which are your better and worse choices. However, we haven't seen any logic that these programs should take such disproportionate hits."

~ Jane Light, San Jose Library Director (member CLA's Legislative Committee) testified to the importance of maintaining the CLSA funding and protecting the systems and resource sharing.

~ California Council For the Blind spoke in favor of the protection of the federal dollars that the state receives under CLSA, as a portion of the money funds the Braille and Talking Books program at the State Library.

Assemblyman Sandre Swanson said he had recently attended the dedication of a library in his district and stated that 400 families were in attendance as "the library is providing an important resource at this time." The Assemblyman said, "Every dollar and every cut is not the same. Kids and adults and literacy will suffer...The analysis has not been done. We can't move so quickly that we destroy institutions. These cuts cannot stand."

Assemblywoman Julia Brownley said that she felt that one of the important charges of the subcommittee would be to "protect the safety net to the degree we are able. The literacy programs are for people who want to help themselves, and we are also hearing from the blind community, a productive citizenry. To remove [the funding] seems inhumane." She added that a suggestion that libraries would charge upwards of $100 per library card if the CLSA funding and systems were decimated "is a line I don't want to cross."

Assemblyman Bill Berryhill called libraries "a tremendous resource for those who can't afford resources. Even those who can afford it - the library generates excitement for reading. People become great learners and great students."

Chairwoman Bonilla closed out the hearing by announcing that no vote would be taken on any of the items, and rather, they would be "held open" and revisited in about another week (3 caucuses have major policy retreats over the next 2 days; Capitol is fairly quiet this week).

She added, "You know, 'one library with 1,000 doors' is a remark that has been made by the library community to me. I am encouraged to hear the public comment today and the comments by committee members. It is incumbent on us to have a balanced approach. We can't avoid negative impacts [in this year's Budget].

But can we avoid devastation? . . . .Yes."

Assemblyman Sandre Swanson remarked that he had received 100 letters from constituents on the library funding issues. If you have not made the call, mailed the letter, or sent the fax to the members of the Budget Subcommittee, the legislative Leadership and the Budget Chairs and Vice Chairs yet, please do so today. READ MORE !

February 18, 2011 (All day)Assembly Budget Committee: Governor's 2011-2012 State Budget Proposal (CDCan)
Appears to be the final budget hearing before the full Assembly takes final action on the 2011-2012 state budget.

Your LETTERS, FAXES and telephone calls make a HUGE difference ! ! !