QUESTION
How will the proposed $20,300,000 cuts in the fiscal year 2025 budget impact the library systems' abilities?
0:32:53
·
5 min
Council Member Chi Ossé inquires about the impact of a proposed $20,300,000 cut in the fiscal year 2025 budget on the abilities of the three library systems to operate, specifically regarding Sunday closures, operating hours, and program implementation. Library Presidents Linda E. Johnson, Dennis Walcott, and Anthony W. Marx respond, discussing the severe limitations these budget cuts impose on their operations, including the necessity to reduce service hours and program availability. They emphasize the libraries' lean operations, their crucial role in community services, and the importance of full budget restoration and increases to meet rising costs and maintain essential services.
Chi Ossé
0:32:53
And and how will the proposed and I know you touched on this in the last answer, but the the 20,300,000 dollar and cuts in the fiscal year 2025 budget impact the 3 systems abilities.
0:33:03
Not necessarily to in implement these programs, but just to rehash in terms of the Sunday closures and operating hours if these cuts do come into fruition in the next fiscal year.
0:33:14
How will that impact, you know, these programs as well as future hours for the 3 systems?
0:33:18
Yeah.
Linda E. Johnson
0:33:19
You know, as as has been said, the the issue with live worries is there are very few levers for us to pull when we have a budget cut.
0:33:28
There are material, and there's wages in person and that translates to the number of hours that we're able to be open.
0:33:37
And we tend to go to the book budget because it doesn't cost anybody their labs, and we also are able to keep doors open longer.
0:33:45
But if, you know, we're right now at that sort of teetering point with the cut that we've sustained in the all where any additional cuts will require us to close doors.
Dennis Walcott
0:33:57
Plus, we have not talked about wage and decreases the minimum wage requirements that we all face as far as that price going up.
0:34:05
So even with full restoration, it's still behind Yeah.
0:34:11
Where we were because we're factoring in those inflationary factors.
0:34:15
That are part of it, and then just to reinforce the point because it's so important for people to understand this, that our basic core based on the great librarians and staff that we have in place, and the materials we provide, and now also the programs.
0:34:32
I mean, when we take a look probably at all of our census data, you will see significant increases in our program services because people rely on what we do day, evening, weekend.
0:34:44
And I always tell one this quick story.
0:34:47
When I went out to our Peninsula library on a Saturday couple of months ago.
0:34:53
And I was shocked at the number of people not that I just saw there, but who were there for our adult learning services.
0:35:01
And folks who are the new migrants and just immigrants overall who are here and have been basically housed out in the rockaways, and they're coming to Peninsula.
0:35:13
I mean, it's those types of services that the money from the city helps us provide the core basic foundation for people's livelihood.
0:35:23
And that's what people I think don't understand a lot that we're not fat at all.
0:35:29
We're lean and providing key services.
0:35:32
And then the other piece just to pick up on the point, if I may, is that when the city calls us, We respond.
0:35:39
We respond just like that.
0:35:41
And there's no ifs, hands, and buts about it, whether it was around.
0:35:45
The variance and the changing variance, whether it's the inoculations.
0:35:50
So whatever the case may be, IDNYC, whether my always true story to talk about how we respond.
0:35:58
It was 1 hot 4th July, and the city said we need cooling centers open.
0:36:04
And we turned around just like that and opened up our cooling centers and again going back to flushing without any real prior notification we had 3000 people who came through our door that 4th July who got cooling services as a result of city calling us.
0:36:21
This is who we are as a library system.
0:36:23
We're there to serve that need.
Anthony W. Marx
0:36:25
Can I just say that those are life changing efforts and life saving efforts?
0:36:29
And I also wanna shout out to you, counsel on for your leadership, ongoing leadership on this subject done for us.
0:36:35
I'll add one more piece.
0:36:37
That we've all talked about and we'll have more of a chance to talk about in our March budget hearing.
0:36:42
When we see these budget cuts in addition to closing hours and material, we have less expendable monies for capital emergency supplies so that when the air conditioning or heat goes out, we have to close.
0:36:56
And we are currently facing an unprecedented cut in the ongoing long term investments in our capital.
0:37:06
If we don't have those funds, it isn't just a matter of providing great and inspiring cases which we need to.
0:37:13
It's opening the spaces.
0:37:14
It's even that we have renovated to date and are eager to open.
Chi Ossé
0:37:18
Yeah.
0:37:18
I'm so sorry.
0:37:19
Just one more question.
0:37:20
I think you it was a perfect segue from from both presidents, but I know that $20,300,000 restoration, you know, is is definitely a a ask, and I know that you're working on what the overall ask is of the council and and pushing for refunding the libraries.
0:37:35
But, you know, with wage increases and and whatnot, What's a a better idea in terms of what the council should be pushing for in terms of of a complete restoration and the additional balance and making sure that our libraries are are providing to all of our communities and the programs that you're speaking about today.
Anthony W. Marx
0:37:54
I would just say we need the full restoration and it is you know, it's tragic that we are and the baseline funding from the city council.
0:38:03
Thank you very much.
Dennis Walcott
0:38:04
Yeah.
Anthony W. Marx
0:38:05
And the fact that we're here trying to get back to where we were at a moment when, as you mentioned, costs have gone up on all fronts.
0:38:13
We should be talking about increases and not just restorations to the library.
0:38:18
We look forward to that conversation the councilman.
Linda E. Johnson
0:38:21
The the the challenge that these midyear pegs have caused is that it it diverts the conversation away from what we should be talking me about, which is how much our budget should increase given the cost of doing business.
0:38:35
And frankly, the work that we could be doing if we were better funded to a point where we're just, like, looking for scraps to get back to where we were.
Chi Ossé
0:38:44
Thank you, madam, and mister's presidents.