Click below to contact your Legislators:
http://capwiz.com/ala/fl/issues/alert/?alertid=14792616
The House and Senate Transportation and Economic Development (TED) Appropriations Committees are both proposing to entirely eliminate State Aid to Public Libraries funding. The current amount of $21.2 million was proposed by the Dept. of State and Governor and is supported by FLA. Because $21.2 million is the Maintenance of Effort amount the state is required to provide to receive $8.4 million in federal library funds, State Aid elimination also means loss of federal funds.
Both Committees are scheduled to approve their bills soon and shortly later the House and Senate will take them to the floor for adoption.
Contacts – Keep it up until funding is restored – including over the weekend! Most legislators want to fund state aid – the more contacts they receive, the easier it is to restore!
§ Your Legislators – If they are not members of the House or Senate TED Committees (see attached lists), ask them to ask the House or Senate leadership (see attached) and TED Committee Chairs to restore the funding.
§ The Governor, House & Senate Leadership – Please contact each of them!
§ Your Personal Networks – Newspapers, Friends, Community Groups, Neighbors, & Influential Folks – Share this message and ask them to help!
The Message – Restore funding for State Aid to Public Libraries to the current $21.2 million. If state aid is eliminated, branches will close all over the state and library service in rural libraries will be decimated because of their reliance on state funding! Add your local stories – they are the most powerful!
Background- The library community knows the state budget is seriously stressed but library funding has already been cut by over a third, from $33.4 million in 2001 to $21.2 million today. Local funding has been deeply cut in last the 3 years and more reductions are coming in 2010-11. Many libraries report cuts exceeding 30%.
This comes at a particularly bad time for Floridians who are turning to their public libraries for help during these challenging times:
Job seekers are getting help learning about and applying for jobs.
Floridians needing assistance applying for E-Government services and benefits are getting help from library staff, computers, and Internet service.
Families are relying on library books, cd’s and dvd’s to stretch household budgets.
Families continue to rely on libraries to help children learn to read and help parents and caregivers learn to be children’s first teachers.
Please - Keep Your Message Very Positive!
Safety Harbor Library along with all the libraries in Florida needs help! The Services we provide are in jeopardy. State Aid funds provide services to Pinellas County that come directly from the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative. Services such as the courier service (delivering books throughout the county), automation costs, database costs, Talking Book Library, Deaf Literacy Center, the Born to Read program to mention a few.
Please contact all or some of the following with this message:
Restore funding for State Aid to Public Libraries to the current $21.2 million. If state aid is eliminated, branches will close all over the state and library service in rural libraries will be decimated because of their reliance on state funding! Add your local stories (what the library means to you, what the loss of these dollars will mean in our county [list above] – they are the most powerful!
Remain Positive.
Governor, Legislative Leadership & Key Committees
You can also use CapWiz to Contact legislators and leaders - http://capwiz.com/ala/fl/home/
Governor Charlie Crist - Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com / (850) 488-7146
House House Leadership
§ Larry Cretul (r) – Speaker – Represents parts of Alachua, Levy, & Marion Counties – larry.cretul@myfloridahouse.gov / District (352) 873-6564 / Tallahassee (850) 488-1450
§ Rep. David Rivera (r), Chair of the Full Appropriations Council On Education & Economic Development – Represents parts of Broward, Collier, & Miami-Dade Counties – david.rivera@myfloridahouse.gov / District (305) 227-7630 / Tallahassee – (850)-488-7897
House Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee (TED)
§ Rep. Rich Glorioso (r), Chair – Parts of Hillsborough & Pasco Counties –rich.glorioso@myfloridahouse.gov / District (813) 757-9110/ Tallahassee (850) 488-0807
§ Rep. Robert Schenck (r) – Represents parts of Pasco, Hernando, & Sumter Counties – robert.schenck@myfloridahouse.gov / District (352) 688-5005 / Tallahassee (850) 488-6641
Senate Leadership
§ Senator Jeff Atwater (r) – President – Represents parts of Broward & Palm Beach Counties - atwater.jeff.web@flsenate.gov / District (561) 625-5101 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5100
§ Senator JD Alexander (r), Chairman, Policy and Steering Committee on Ways and Means – Represents Hardee, Highlands and parts of DeSoto, Glades, Okeechobee, Polk, and St. Lucie Counties - alexander.jd.web@flsenate.gov / District (863) 679-4847 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5044
§ Senator Mike Haridopolos (r) – President designate, 2011-12 - Represents parts of Brevard, Indian River, Osceola, & St. Lucie Counties – haridopolis.mike@flsentate.gov / District (321) 752-3131 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5056
Senate Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee (TED)
§ Senator Mike Fasano (r), Chairman – Represents parts of Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, & Pinellas Counties / fasano.mike.web@flsenate.gov / District (727) 848-5885 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5062
Thank You!
