Governor Cuts Library Programs In Budget
News
From the Capitol: 1.09.2015 by Mike Dillon, CLA Lobbyist; Christina
DiCaro, CLA Lobbyist
GOVERNOR BROWN INTRODUCES 2015-16 BUDGET:
SLASHES $4 MILLION FROM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS
This morning Governor Brown introduced his 2015-16
State Budget before an assembly of the press corps in the State Capitol in
Sacramento. The Governor’s Budget
summary document, released in conjunction with the Budget indicates that “the
state budget, after a decade of fiscal turbulence, is finally balanced – more
precariously than I would like – but balanced.”
While the Governor’s Budget gives most of any new revenue, gained due to
an slowly recovering economy, to K-12 schools, he also proposes new spending in
areas of public safety, health and human services, and climate change. –
However, most disappointing, the Governor slashes $4 million from the
State Library Budget – money which was included last year in the Budget to
bolster the California
Library Services Act, the State
Literacy program, and so-called “hardship” grants for those libraries
needing to connect to the new high-speed Internet backbone operated by the Corporation for Education Network
Initiatives in California (CENIC).
While this news is understandably disappointing, California library
supporters have a history of rising to the occasion, and there is no doubt they
will do so again with a valiant fight this Spring on these issues. In fact, you will be hearing from the CLA Legislative Committee in the
coming days as they launch this year’s major advocacy event, “Day In the District.” Your
participation will be critical as CLA begins a concerted effort to restore
these funds.
CLA members will recall that last year, Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles)
fought to include funding in the 2014-15 Budget to help restore money to the
California Library Services Act and the state literacy program. The Assemblyman had met with the library
directors, staff and supporters in Burbank in his district, and learned of the
impacts the devastating Budget cuts had had on the Transaction
Based Reimbursement program and other vital programs. In working with CLA, Assemblyman Gatto vowed
to make partial restoration of public library funds one of his priorities last
year. Along with Assembly Budget Chair, Nancy Skinner
and Assembly Budget Subcommittee Chair, Al Muratsuchi, the three of them
championed the issue, resulting in $3 million in new funding being included in
the Budget ultimately sent to the Governor.
We hope that Mr. Gatto and many of our library supporters in the legislature
will again lead the effort to restore this funding as the Budget Committees begin
their deliberations on the Governor’s Budget this Spring.
Specifically, the Governor’s Budget does the following:
•California
Library Services Act: Makes a $2
million reduction in this line-item. This leaves $1.88 million in the
fund.
•California Library Literacy Services: Makes a $1 million reduction in this line-item.
This leaves $2.8 million in the fund.
•CENIC “Hardship Grants:” Zeroes out the $1 million in “hardship grant”
funding but leaves $2.25 million in place to fund the Governor’s broadband plan
for libraries (e.g. connecting public libraries to the CENIC high-speed
“backbone.”) READ MORE !
Committee Members
Kevin McCarty (Chair) Dem – 7
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 2160, Sacramento, CA 94249-0007; (916) 319-2007
Rocky J. Chávez Rep - 76
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 2170, Sacramento, CA 94249-0076; (916) 319-2076
Young O. Kim Rep - 65
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 4177, Sacramento, CA 94249-0065; (916) 319-2065
Patrick O'Donnell Dem – 70
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 4166, Sacramento, CA 94249-0070; (916) 319-2070
Philip Y. Ting Dem – 19
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 3123, Sacramento, CA 94249-0019; (916) 319-2019
