04/18/05 Ohio House Passes Budget Bill
The Ohio House of Representatives passed its version of the 2006-2007 state biennium budget (House Bill 66) on April 12, 2005. This version of the budget includes several important elements that affect Ohio public libraries including:
- Continued library funding freeze for 2005;
- 5% cut in library funding in 2006 and 2007;
- 21% cut in personal income tax;
- 100% cut in tangible property tax;
- Permission for libraries to charge for audiovisual materials; and
- Establishment of a committee to study the future of local government funding that includes only legislators.
The budget bill will be deliberated in the Ohio Senate Finance Committee until the end of May. The Senate hearing for the local government portions of the budget bill including public libraries is currently scheduled for May 12. The OLC is expecting the Senate to vote on June 1.
Once the budget bill passes the Senate, it will be sent to a Conference Committee made up of three members from both the House and the Senate to work out the differences between the two versions of the budget bill.
The OLC recommends that libraries focus their mailings and letters/e-mails from patrons to Senate members at this time. However, libraries should still remain in contact with House members who will vote on the final bill.
Library directors should continue to send materials that show the value of public libraries and ask the Senate to:
- Continue the current level of public library funding, instead of the proposed 5% reduction;
- Work with libraries and local government representatives to develop a long-term strategy to fund libraries and local governments;
- Develop a trigger mechanism in the budget that would allow for the redistribution of any unanticipated growth in state revenue to be shared with the local government funds;
- Hold local governments harmless permanently from the tangible personal property tax elimination; and
- Keep public library materials free to Ohioans – even audiovisual materials.
This is an extremely important time to have library trustees, community leaders, and business supporters contact legislators. Information regarding the state budget deliberations changes frequently, so visit the OLC Web site www.olc.org/protectlibraryfunding.asp often to find the most current update.
