West Virginia Governor Vetoes Current-Level Funding for Libraries
PrintBy Gordon Flagg
West Virginia library advocates suffered a blow March 26 when Gov. Joe Manchin used his line-item veto power to slash library funding in next year’s state budget by 5%. Library supporters had convinced the legislature to maintain funding at current levels despite the weak economy.
Manchin cut the appropriation for grants-in-aid to public libraries from $8,348,884 to $7,931,440 (reducing per-capita funding from $4.62 to $4.38), for books and films from $450,000 to $427,500, and for special projects from $800,000 to $744,800.
West Virginia Library Association Legislative Chair Allen Johnson said he was “deeply disappointed, because the legislature pulled for us.” He noted that this wasn’t the first time Manchin wielded his veto against libraries: Two years ago, when legislators boosted grants-in-aid from $4.06 per capita to $5.21, the governor cut the increase in half, to $4.62.
Johnson noted that West Virginia libraries are heavily dependent on state funding. When a new administrative regulation went into place two years ago requiring localities to provide matching funds in order to receive state grants-in-aid, eight systems received no local funds at all. He added that 70% of local property tax goes to the state, which sends it back to communities as education funding.
According to Johnson, state Education Secretary Kay Goodwin has offered to try to set up a meeting with Gov. Manchin at which library advocates could make their case for secure local funding in the FY2012 budget—or perhaps sooner, in a special legislative session the governor has proposed to address education issues.
American Libraries, Mon, 03/29/2010 - 15:36
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Comments
"Slash"?!
Miguel is right. This is not a "slash" and AL should re-hire whomever it was that proofread headlines.
My main point is that I live in New Jersey and our esteemed governor proposed to cut 74% of the state funding for libraries. This will eliminate funding for interlibrary loan and other pretty basic services. Right now, we would consider a 5% "slash" as a victory!
Why Libraries?
These guys need to actually go to a library and read some basic business 101. You educate so people can gain more knowledge to increase their pay which benefits the gov’t by higher wage earners paying more taxes. So…let’s shut down the libraries. Brilliant! Can they not just keep them open for a few hours per week for people to just come in get their books and go? Does that really cost that much money? With all the other waste, do libraries really need to be cut?
I’m sure Manchin didn’t take
I’m sure Manchin didn’t take a pay cut.
Slash? I think not.
Gordon Flagg needs to rethink his verb usage. "Slash" implies a drastic reduction, and 5% is not drastic." If Libraries expect to survive these tough times, they will need to tighten their belts as much as the rest of us have done. The free-wheeling days of the early 2000s are gone, and it’s time to make some changes.
One simple thing libraries could do is to stop competing with NetFlix, RedBox and Blockbuster. Purchasing virtually every new DVD, Video Game, and CD takes its toll on already strapped materials budgets, and does nothing to provide true library service to the community. Spend that money instead upgrading and installing more public-access internet computers, providing computer-use education, offering workforce training through books and study guides, and generally responding to the community’s education needs.
Oh, and calling the WVa. governor’s actions a slash is mere journalistic hyperbole in the same vein as calling the Boston Massacre a "massacre." It’s simply done for effect, rather than being based in the merits of the argument. Five people do not a massacre make — according to Wikipedia (and other sources), a massacre is: "[t]o kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can not be made." And five percent is a cut or decrease, not a slash.
"true library service to the community"
You have a narrow view of libraries and I’m not sure you have a firm grasp of what "true library service to the community" actually is. You seem to think that a library should serve solely as a community computer center, complete with training and vocational services. While libraries do provide some of this, they are also repositories of culture and knowledge, which absolutely should include the VISUAL arts. Libraries contain the heart, art and soul of humanity, which are as necessary and important to the survival of democracy and the human race as a job is.
The Democrats did it again!
Once again the Democratic Party sells out libraries! During these tough economic times, you would think the party of the working man would have some compassion and help to fund the places where people are flocking to look for jobs. It seems the Democrats are much more concerned with handing over billions of dollars to banks and financial institutions so their bigwigs can take home huge multi-million dollar bonuses.
Party of the working man, my eye! I will never vote for a Democrat again as long as I live. Although I’m sure ACORN will probably have me voting for them when I’m dead.
Across the board
I live in West Virginia, volunteer at a library, and work in another non-profit. The 5% cut was across the board, as Larry mentioned, and he entirely cut out Fairs and Festivals funding that many non-profits, especially art organizations, receive to subsidize their yearly programming.
As for the article mentioning the new administration regulation requiring matching funds…I also think that is fair. That’s a perfectly normal practice with the arts, and requiring that of libraries increases accountability and gets the libraries thinking about fundraising and increasing their presence in the local community.
cuts to library budgets in WV
http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=73026
It’s clear from this article that libraries are not being singled out for cuts. Everyone is feeling the pain. Would librarians prefer greater cuts in other areas such as schools, fire departments, mental health services, et.al.? The governor’s proposal for a 5% across the board cut seems reasonable and fair.
sad news all around
Too much sad news for libraries the last couple years. I understand that being Governor is a tough job, and balancing budgets is a tough task. In a time where everyone is hurting, though, and where libraries are BOOMING as they help all those hurting people, hurting the libraries just seems inexcusable.
For shame, Governor Manchin.
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