Open Letter
Dear Friends of Libraries,
This cut that the Governor has made means there will be no funds for public
libraries from the State. This turns back library service in California to
pre-1950s when the State recognized that providing funds would make it
possible for public libraries to cooperate with each other and help
eliminate some duplication of purchases because the book or other library
material could be borrow from other libraries. This trigger cut means that
some library literacy programs will fold, and some public library systems
(public library systems provide delivery, training and answer reference
questions which cannot be answered at the local level) will fold. The one in
Los Angeles and Orange Counties can continue for awhile as it has some
reserve, but long term it will fold. That means no delivery of library
materials between libraries. No coordination of the Summer Reading Program.
No answering of the informational questions that cannot be answered at the
local level. Some libraries will charge non-residents for borrowing
materials (there is one County in the Bay area that has already started
this) which means the elimination of universal borrowing in California.
Interlibrary loan may continue, but there will probably be charges or
increased charges. Some libraries have used the Public Library Fund for
increased hours of opening and others have used it for library materials and
others (Monterey Park) used it for automation (paying for T-1 lines). In
addition, California will lose 80 percent of federal library funds which
have helped with book discussion groups, purchase of databases, trying out
of new services, etc. This will be very bad for the public. The notice
follows my message.
Now is the time to write to the Governor to reverse this with copies to the
leaders of the Assembly and Senate and to your local representative. Do it
now. If you need addresses, contact me or your local library before the
cutbacks go into affect. See if your City Council and County Supervisors
will also send resolutions to the Governor. Please note: no other State
funded program has had all of its funds eliminated. If you value Public
Libraries, take action now.
Linda Wilson, Monterey Park
TO: CLA MEMBERS/ NETWORKS/ SYSTEM CONTACTS
FROM: Mike Dillon, CLA Lobbyist
Christina DiCaro, CLA Lobbyist
RE: News From the Capitol
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE SAYS BUDGET TRIGGER WILL BE PULLED
Shortly after noon today, Governor Brown, flanked by his Director of the
Department of Finance, announced that despite a modest improvement in the
economy, (November sales tax receipts were up, as well as capital gains on
upper income earners) state revenues have not rebounded sufficiently. As
such, the Governor announced that the so-called Tier 1 trigger and a portion
of the Tier 2 trigger will be pulled. This action will include a $16
million reduction to state library funding, which essentially eliminates all
remaining state funding for the California Library Services Act, the state
literacy program, and the Public Library Foundation. The Governor also used
the press conference to discuss his upcoming January Budget, as well as his
$7 billion revenue package initiative that he is qualifying for the November
ballot.
As you will recall, as part of the 2011-12 Budget agreement, the legislature
and the Governor created a so-called Budget trigger,(AB 121, Statutes of
2011) to serve as a balancing mechanism should $4 billion in anticipated
state revenues not materialize as projected. Per the terms of AB 121, the
state’s Legislative Analyst and the Department of Finance were required to
prepare substantial fiscal analyses that would determine whether or not the
state could rely on the anticipated $4 billion in cash. If the money was
not expected to materialize, the bill created a procedure (a trigger) by
which automatic cuts would be made to programs such as library services, UC,
CSU, In Home Support Services, disability services, etc. in the so-called
Tier 1 trigger. A second Tier 2 trigger would make cuts to K-14 school
funding.
As previously reported, the Legislative Analyst’s Office produced their
analysis on November 16th and indicated that because the economic recovery
was slower than expected they anticipated that revenues would be
approximately $3 billion short of the anticipated $4 billion figure
associated with the trigger. This amount would then be compounded by an
additional revenue shortfall of $10 billion for the upcoming 2012-13 Budget
year (mostly due to K-14 education guarantees and repaying the $2 billion in
property taxes borrowed from local government in 2009) leaving the state
with a year-end deficit of about $13 billion, absent any additional
budgetary corrections.
The Department of Finance was required to release their revenue projections
by December 15th, so we were surprised when we learned that the Governor and
Finance Director Ana Matosantos would hold a press conference to make their
announcement today. The Governor said that based on newer revenue
projections, the combined Tier 1 and Tier 2 cuts will amount to about $1
billion. (Tier 1 cuts total approximately $600 million plus, and Tier 2
cuts would total $328 million, instead of the full $1.5 billion cut to K-14
education.) The Governor also said that his 2012-13 Budget to be released
on or around January 10 will include more cuts to follow, and importantly,
will include $7 billion in revenues, predicated on voters passing his tax
initiative on the November 2012 ballot. (The Governor is proposing a five
year ¬Ω cent sales tax increase as well as an income tax increase on $250K
filers and up.) The January 2012-13 Budget will contain another trigger
providing for automatic cuts if voters reject his initiative. When the
Governor was asked by a reporter to address those impacted by the cuts to
the Tier 1 programs, he acknowledged that the cuts were very difficult, but
added a phrase in Latin, which the Governor translated as, No man gives what
he does not have. The Governor then also expressed frustration with the
state’s previous lack of fiscal discipline, adding that past Budgets were
compiled through obfuscation and gimmickry. In response to a reporter’s
question about competing tax measures being circulated for the November
ballot, the Governor said that he talked to one of the groups and presumably
would be talking to the others. He added, We hope to have a clear field in
November. We want to avoid doubling cuts if (the tax proposal) fails.
The legislature will return to the Capitol to begin the 2012 session on
Wednesday, January 4.
Carol Simmons, Executive Director
California Library Association
2471 Flores Street
San Mateo, CA 94403
csimmons@cla-net.org
650-376-0886(ph)
650-539-2341 (fax)
