California’s 2011-2012 budget “presented some very tough challenges for three major library programs – the California Library Services Act, the Public Library Foundation, and the state literacy program. These programs continue to be in jeopardy…”

In January, the Governor’s Budget proposed eliminating funding for these three programs ($30.4 million), but compromises kept half of it ($15.2 million).

Part of the 2011-12 budget agreement was AB 121, the “Budget Trigger” bill, listing items that could be cut if the revenue forecast fell below $87,452,500,000. This would zero out the $15.2 million. The proposed public library cuts are on a list of reductions along with major cuts to UC and CSU, In Home Support Services, and juvenile justice programs, among others.

This will have a huge impact on local library services. It will dismantle California’s cooperative loan program, end library adult literacy programs serving approximately 20,000, and could impact millions in federal funding as well.

Libraries are a vital resource now for citizens needing job leads, resources for self-teaching, and also life-long learning opportunities. Write the governor and your legislators today to urge preservation of state library funding!

The Honorable Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
Governor, State of California
State Capitol, Room, 1173
Sacramento, CA. 95814

CC’s to the following

The Honorable Darrell Steinberg
Senate President pro Tempore
California State Senate
State Capitol, Room 205
Sacramento, CA. 95814

The Honorable Bob Dutton
Senate Minority Leader
California State Senate
State Capitol, Room 305
Sacramento, CA. 95814

The Honorable John A. Perez
Speaker of the California State Assembly
State Capitol, Room 219
Sacramento, CA. 95814

The Honorable Connie Conway
Assembly Republican Leader
State Capitol, Room 3104
Sacramento, CA. 95814

Last year, Glendale libraries loaned 59,776 items to other library jurisdictions and received 48,673 items for Glendale library clients, mostly to and from the Pasadena library system.

The Palos Verdes Library Director published a complete review of the budget cuts to libraries here. Key quotes:

The budget proposal eliminates, with some very minor exceptions, all General Fund funding for public libraries.

…I don’t think anyone expected that libraries would be exempt from the cuts that are being made across all categories of the State budget. That said, the total elimination of ALL State support for local library services is a shock.

Grants for literacy programs, and funds for post-graduate library degrees and management training are slated for cuts as well, said Cleary.

Citizens who value local libraries’ civic, educational, career, and cultural contributions to our society can express concerns to:
The Honorable Carol Liu, Chair
Senate Budget Subcommittee Number 1
State Capitol Room 5061
Sacramento, CA 95814

California faces a $20 billion deficit in the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Liu is Chair of the Senate Human Services Committee and Chair of the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education, and represents close to 850,000 people in the 21st district, including Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, San Gabriel, Temple City, and several City and County of Los Angeles communities.

Senator Liu’s online announcement. The Glendale Central Library is located at 222 E. Harvard Street in Glendale.

Local Assembly member Paul Krekorian’s office issued a release stating that he helped defeat parts of the plan including bills taking gas tax revenues from local governments and allowing offshore drilling. No news was available this afternoon from his office regarding his vote on the taking of municipal redevelopment funds, which was approved by the Assembly.

Evans’ Budget Blog update today briefly describes a Democratic budget proposal that will be submitted for a vote Wednesday. Along with cuts to programs, and $2.1 billion in “revenue acceleration and fees”, it includes $1 billion in new cigarette taxes and $880 million in oil severance taxes (whatever those are). Most comments on this post pick up John and Ken’s themes: Why hasn’t state government gotten the message that voters won’t accept more taxes? Further, why won’t legislators start renegotiating employment contracts that are far more generous than most private-sector packages? Excerpt from one comment:

…as long as public employees make more money on average, with more benefits than in the private sector, we have a reasonable expectation to ask them to make sacrifices first.

There’s nothing unreasonable about asking state employees to live in the same world as the rest of us, contributing some of our salary towards medical insurance and co-pays. There’s nothing unreasonable about asking state employees to live with the same retirement plans the rest of us have (401K plans, not pensions with 90% of our salary for life).

Here is Evans’ more detailed report on the proposal.

The big concern for the rest of us:Where will Washington be getting the money?

Some candidates and office holders visited the Glendale News Press open house yesterday, including city council incumbent Ara Najarian. Najarian, a current Metropolitan Transit Authority member, believes Glendale should work to obtain as much federal stimulus money coming to California as it can, including funds for transit projects. The state budget just passed cut $460 million from public transit. Streetsblog LA commented

…not one legislator from Los Angeles or any other metropolis was willing to stand up for transit operating funds. As we’ve already discussed, the new budget reduces the state operations subsidy for transit to $0 for the foreseeable future, which could force Metro to cut up to 160,000 hours of bus service.

Community college board candidate Ann Ransford was also at the open house. She confirmed that budget cutbacks were a top concern for the college as they are now for our schools and city. School board member Mary Boger, who was also there, indignantly pointed out that California legislators expect Glendale and other school districts to operate based on the funds given to them, without deficit spending or additional taxes. The Glendale Unified School District has managed its funding to date, and isn’t in dire straits as some school districts are.

School board incumbent Greg Krikorian forwarded this information from today’s California School Board Association Bulletin: Current year Proposition 98 appropriations will be cut by $5.9 billion, with about $2.3 billion coming from program reductions and partial cost-of-living adjustment. The 2009-2010 year budget will eliminate the estimated 5.02 percent statutory cost-of-living adjustment, further reduce Proposition 98 spending levels by $530 million, and eliminate the $114.2 million High Priority Schools Grant Program.