PRESS RELEASES
BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL $500,000 IN
ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATURE'S ADOPTED 2007 COUNTY BUDGET
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Buffalo, NY -- On Friday, December 1 st , the Erie County Legislature adopted a 2007 County budget that provides $500,000 in additional support to the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library (B&ECPL) System. County Executive Joel A. Giambra recommended flat funding for the Library for the third year in a row, proposing a 2007 Library Property Tax levy that remained unchanged at $21,671,833. The County levy for Library purposes will rise to $22.2 million in 2007.
“Between 2004 and 2005, the Library lost nearly 25% of its funding from Erie County, and its budget remained static in 2006,” said B&ECPL Director Michael C. Mahaney . “Without doubt, the Library requires much more than $500,000 to address its many needs, but this is an encouraging beginning.”
After closing 15 libraries, reducing hours of service at almost every remaining location (some open only 18 hours), eliminating mobile services and laying-off more than 225 full and part-time employees, the Library System had exhausted all avenues to streamline. The additional funds will benefit libraries that failed to meet New York State minimum standards this year and other libraries whose hours of service were reduced to unacceptable levels. Plans are being developed to deploy these new resources, and details will be forthcoming.
“T hank you to the many individuals who voiced support for Erie County's public libraries in recent months,” added Mahaney.
For more information, call 858-8900 or visit www.buffalolib.org.