THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE SIOUX CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY RESPONDED FRIDAY TO RECENT CITY COUNCIL PROPOSALS TO CUT THE LIBRARY BUDGET IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR BY AS MUCH AS 25 PERCENT, WHICH IS NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS.
JIM WHARTON SPOKE FOR THE TRUSTEES AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE HELD AT THE MAIN DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, AND SAID THEIR BOARD HAS LOOKED AT POSSIBLE CUTS, AND THEIR FIGURE IS SMALLER THAN WHAT SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SUGGESTED:
WHARTON1 OC……..TO OUR LIBRARY PATRONS. ;14
CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE SCHOENHERR ATTENDED THE NEWS CONFERENCE, AND SAYS THIS IS A GOOD STARTING POINT, HOWEVER, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE FACING TOUGH CHOICES BECAUSE OF FEDERAL CUTS AND STATE SPENDING LIMITS AFFECTING SEVERAL CITY PROGRAMS, SUCH AS THE LIBRARY AND SWIMMING CLASSES:
JULIE OC………..THINGS LIKE THAT. :17
WHARTON, WHO IS A FORMER SIOUX CITY MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, SAYS THE TRUSTEES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EFFECTS GREATER CUTS WOULD HAVE ON THE LIBRARY SERVICES:
WHARTON2 OC…..LOYAL PATRONS. :16
HE SAYS THE STATE HAS PUT PRESSURE ON COMMUNITIES BY FAILING TO FUND PROGRAMS AND BY LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY RAISED THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES.
WHARTON SAYS “WE LOVE OUR LIBRARY, WE KNOW YOU DO TOO, AND WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN THIS INSTITUTION THAT HAS SERVED OUR COMMUNITY FOR 150 YEARS.”
