Wednesday, November 17, 2010

News from the Capitol

"...With regard to the Public Library Foundation, Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed a reduction of $1.4 million. His message states, "The 2004-05 expenditures reflect the Department's response to the Administration's
request for 3 percent reductions, thus the May Revision proposes to reduce Public Library Foundation grants to local libraries by $1,406,000. This leaves a total of $14,360,000 in remaining foundation resources ..."
(Note: Without the detail available, we assume a 3% cut was made to the State Library budget, including the PLF with the entire reduction made to
the PLF - about 9%.)

You will recall that Governor Davis aggressively reduced the Public Library Foundation over 72 percent in two years, and liberally made cuts to the PLF in his May Revise, or utilized his so-called "blue pencil" to make further reductions. Given the seriousness of the Budget crisis, we were hopeful that Governor Schwarzenneger would try to protect the baseline for the PLF program as best he could. . . .


SPECIAL DISTRICT LIBRARIES SAVED FROM TAX SHIFT - SO FAR, SO GOOD

The proposed $350 million property tax shift from special districts for each of the next two years does not include the independent special district libraries or the so-called
"orphan" special district libraries. As mentioned previously, we have been working with some of the parties involved
with the "special district package," and have thus far succeeded in getting these libraries exempt from the property tax reductions. We have argued that libraries were "clobbered" by the 1992 and1993-94 property tax shifts, which ultimately led to the enactment of SB 1648-Dills, sponsored by CLA in
1994. That measure, almost forgotten, prohibits the future ERAF reduction from libraries. While one legislature cannot bind a future legislature, having the Dills bill on the books has been helpful in making our argument to exempt libraries from the proposed shift. It is important to note that
the Governor's proposal must be enacted by the legislature. However, at this point, we are cautiously optimistic that the legislature will go along with our library exempt language."
Source: An email message to the Calix listserv from Mike Dillon, CLA Lobbyist; Christina Dillon, CLA Lobbyist forwarded by Susan Negreen
permanent link
May 14, 2004
Cuts To Buy Future Financial Stability
"A deal included in the governor's spending plan has East Bay officials swallowing hard and preparing for painful cuts in exchange for long-term financial stability. . . .

Under the agreement, cities, counties, special districts and redevelopment agencies will give the state a combined $1.3 billion in property taxes each of the next two years. That translates to $9.5 million for Contra Costa and $15 million for Alameda County both years, or around 6 percent of each county's total property tax revenue.

Local governments use the money to pay for services such as police and fire protection, parks and libraries."


Cuts To Buy Future Financial Stability

A deal included in the governor's spending plan has East Bay officials swallowing hard and preparing for painful cuts in exchange for long-term financial stability. . . .

Under the agreement, cities, counties, special districts and redevelopment agencies will give the state a combined $1.3 billion in property taxes each of the next two years. That translates to $9.5 million for Contra Costa and $15 million for Alameda County both years, or around 6 percent of each county's total property tax revenue.

Local governments use the money to pay for services such as police and fire protection, parks and libraries."

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