Save Ohio Libraries
Submitted by Marc Millwater on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 9:25am.
General Issues
Promoted from the forums, you can also check out saveohiolibraries.com for more information. --David
We need to get the word out to the state legislators that the proposed budget cuts are too drastic and that our libraries are more crucial now than ever!
Successful libraries are a part of a successful, growing, and well educated community.
If the budget cuts go through as Gov. Strickland has outlined, Ohio in general, will not be as attractive a state to reside. That simple.
Libraries are important but...
Submitted by Joseph on Mon, 06/29/2009 - 1:49pm.
I'm a huge fan of libraries and understand their importance to our community. But everything is getting cut right now because there is a huge budget deficit.
The money has to come from somewhere, so if the libraries get the cash some other program doesn't. So what else would you suggest the state cut in order to fund libraries?
Education? Health care for the poor?
I'd like to hear some other solutions besides just "please don't take money away from my program".
Maybe time for a real Dem to primary Ted??
Submitted by progressive dem on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 12:40pm.
I can't believe that Strickland would propose this, but the entire list of cuts are like this. For example, a college scholarship I was promised after high school for four years ("guaranteed") has been axed. Ohio Link is getting cut.
WE NEED LEADERSHIP. PLEASE RAISE OUR TAXES TED!! SHOW SOME BACKBONE!!
...Paging Paul Hackett....
It's Time for Ted to Show Leadership
Submitted by BuckeyeNation on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 8:33pm.
Forget Hackett, he burned too many bridges last year.
Strickland needs to grow a pair and show some leadership.
Hell, even the Dispatch took him to task for not even considering a tax increase.
Why not enact a temporary tax increase due to expire at a certain time when we get out of the economic hole.
Or better yet, how about suspending the Taft Ohio income tax cuts for a few years.
Ted is unfortunately reverting to his head-bobbing routine (remember that one when HRC was lambasting Obama?), and it's embarrassing.
Taxes
Submitted by kweber7 on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 11:11pm.
Come on, even the hippiest of the hippie Democrats know that raising taxes does not encourage job growth. The economy sucks in Ohio because no one wants to live here after college (weather) and the auto industry is in trouble. Raising taxes sure isn't going to help that.
Strickland should try an idea where you get the tuition freeze at instate public institutions but you have to pay a fine equivalent to what the tuition increases would have been if you leave the state during your first five years after college. Maybe you'd sign the contract when you enter college?
Small Business
Submitted by zeldamacgregor on Wed, 06/24/2009 - 10:49pm.
As seriously as this issue would affect individuals (and it would), it also affects local business. I work at a comic book shop in Cleveland, and for years we have enjoyed a wonderful relationship with our city public library. They are our biggest customer; they subscribe to dozens of titles-one copy of each title for each of their 33 branches--that we hand deliver every Thursday for immediate availability to library patrons. We have been lucky enough to see decent enough business in tough economic times, luckier than we thought we'd be as a place that primarily caters to people with discretionary income.
If these budget cuts go forward, we will almost certainly lose thousands of dollars every month, and that will hurt us badly. Our 9 person staff might not be financially feasible; our ability to stock a wide variety of items will decrease, and, as silly as it sounds, kids won't get to read comic books for free. I realize there are worse things, but in a world filled with so many of those worse things, the availability of free entertainment, whether it's comic books, novels, magazines, DVD's, music, or one of the myriad of other services offered by our public libraries, we ought to do everything we can to protect these facilities that have for so long provided us with so much.
This is the worst possible time for something like this to happen for individuals and for businesses. Thank you for making information available.
No TV
Submitted by Erin on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 5:41pm.
We don't have cable TV. In fact, we don't even have the converter box yet - no TV. We do have a DVD and VCR player and have been to the library at least 3 times this past month to get our fill of entertainment - books most especially (I just read a great book about Mary Magdalene called "The Expected One" by Kathleen McGowan). I can order books from another branch online from the catalog and get e-mail messages when something is ready to be picked up at my branch as well as an e-mail reminder when my materials are due to be returned. It's invaluable. Sunday hours in the winter too. It would be a travesty if any of these services were cut due to the state budget.
Thanks for posting about this important issue
This is real serious stuff. The libraries are facing a 50% cut of their funding from the state and it will force most libraries throughout the state to either shut down or lay off most of their staff and cut most of the services provided to the public. We need as many people as possible to get in touch with the Governor's office, their state legislators, and the key legislators in the general assembly who'll be deciding the final budget. Thanks for any help you all can provide.
Here's some contact info for the Governor and those deciding the final budget.
Governor Ted Strickland
614-466-3555
http://www.governor.ohio.gov/Assistance/ContacttheGovernor/tabid/150/Default.aspx
Representative Armond Budish,
Speaker of the House
614-466-5441
District08@ohr.state.oh.us
Representative Vernon Sykes,
Chairman of the House Finance Committee
614-466-3100
Senator Bill Harris,
President of the Senate
614-466-8086
SD19@senate.state.oh.us
Senator John Carey,
Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee
614-466-8156
SD17@senate.state.oh.us