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Q&A
Impact of insufficient funding on library operations and breakdown of funding needs
0:56:13
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149 sec
Council Member Rivera discusses the inadequacy of the proposed $15.7 million additional funding to meet the libraries' expense needs, especially considering federal grant reductions. Anthony Marx provides a breakdown of how the restored $157.7 million would be used and what additional funding would cover.
- Restored funding covers facilities maintenance, cleaning, library materials, and some staffing (library pages).
- Additional funding is needed for unreimbursed wage growth, increased library materials, IT, cybersecurity, and other expenses affected by inflation.
- Capital funding shortfall example: funding received for one Carnegie library renovation out of five requested.
Carlina Rivera
0:56:13
Okay.
0:56:14
Well I think the, you know, we've mentioned additional 15,700,000.0 for the systems.
0:56:22
I know you can elaborate this on you if you like, but for that to sufficiently meet the expense need of the systems is a nice idea, but it doesn't realistically cover everything that you're predicting, especially with the federal grants and really the entire sort of environment around library needs.
0:56:43
You mentioned for capital a number a commitment that should be significant and a number that could help.
0:56:52
I mean your capital pegs were not restored from last year.
0:56:58
How many projects will be delayed or postponed due to this funding not being included in the plan?
0:57:09
We called on the administration to provide an additional 345,000,000 in fiscal twenty twenty six for the system's capital needs.
0:57:16
The executive plan does not include capital funding for the system.
0:57:20
Do you know how many projects will be delayed or postponed due to this funding not being included in the plan?
0:57:21
Or postponed included in the plan.
George Olken
0:57:27
Go ahead.
Anthony "Tony" Marx
0:57:32
Sorry.
0:57:32
Let me put in context the the $157,700,000.0 dollars, which has been restored, if you will, gives us funding for facilities maintenance and cleaning, library materials, which, you know, as you've heard, the prices have gone up as everything has gone up, as well as a million dollars towards library pages who are we love and are crucial.
0:57:56
We the the missing additional expense ask would cover the unreimbursed wage growth, a greater increase in library materials to fill the gap that Dennis was was discussing, IT, cybersecurity, OTPS, all that have been the result of inflation.
0:58:17
The the ready example, in terms of capital, madam chair, is, you know, we put in a request for another five Carnegies or five full renovations, and in effect we got funded for one.
0:58:30
We're grateful to be able to move on Seward Park, but those other neighborhoods are are also deserving of capital.
0:58:38
And that's just one subset of what we are eager to do.