Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
AGENCY TESTIMONY
Current funding situation and need for baseline funding increase
0:20:40
·
102 sec
Marx discusses the current funding situation for New York libraries, highlighting the need for baseline funding increases. He expresses gratitude for the mayor's $15.7 million allocation but emphasizes that it is not baseline funding and doesn't meet additional needs.
- Request for partnership to work with the mayor to baseline the $15.7 million one-time funding
- Call for securing an additional $44.8 million for the three library systems
- Emphasis on the essential role of libraries in New York City's civic life
Anthony "Tony" Marx
0:20:40
At our last hearing, we were already saying thank you, and we do again, to the mayor for the $15,700,000 for the three systems.
0:20:50
We appreciate that.
0:20:53
We also noticed, of course, as we've all said, that that was not baseline funding.
0:21:00
So it's not an addition.
0:21:01
It gets us back where we were, which is sort of what the budget dance consistently does, but that doesn't meet our additional needs, as we'll discuss, nor in this case, unusually, is it is it baselined.
0:21:16
So we need to address those.
0:21:18
We need your partnership to work with the mayor to get us that result, to work with the administration to baseline the 15,700,000 of one time funding, and to secure as much as possible together with the mayor forty four point eight million for the three library systems as requested.
0:21:38
You all know, as you all have spoken eloquently many times, to the essential role of libraries in New York City's civic life, and that is crucial at this point.
0:21:52
I will come back to that.
0:21:53
After years of fighting cuts, we are now doing more, so much more, for all New Yorkers with less, especially if you consider the effects of inflation.
0:22:06
So we are struggling here to do the work that we want to and aspire to do, that my amazing colleagues, our amazing colleagues, our DC thirty seven members make possible every day, but we need the funding to ensure those results.