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Probably because even though the libraries are a very public issue there are still not many people that would be affect by their closing. Now if the city decided to not pick up the trash for a few months or cut the police force in half then there would probably be a greater response.
Well, the city gets its cut from the county. The county folks are the ones that need to be accountable.
Stuff like garbage is essential. Stuff like hug-a-thug programs for repeat offenders are NOT.
Why is the only option to privately donate? Why are we not calling on the County Manager, budget analysts, county commissioners, city council, Mayor, etc. to re-examine the budget and choose different priorities?
I completely agree! As a library user who's upset and angry about the incompetence & possible corruption that has led to the potential destruction of this library system, I'm writing a very long posting here! To start with, here's some alternative suggestions to address current shortfalls within the library budget:
-- How about getting rid of waste at the top by laying off 2 or 3 of the library head's FOUR highly-paid assistants! (hey, there's less to manage now, does he really need 4 assistants?) Doesn't it make more sense to get rid of unnecessary high salaries first?
-- Then, to make sure all parts of the library region are covered by service, how about closing only 6 out of the 12 branches scheduled to close? Keep the 2 regional branches open (Morrison and Independence), along with 4 other branches (including the new Hickory branch?) Then reduce days and hours at ALL the branches (how about having each remaining branch be closed one more day a week, from 7 days to 6 days or 6 days to 5 days, how about 10am - 8pm instead of current hours of 9am - 9pm at regional branches?). It's true that some remaining full-time library workers might have to work at 2 different library branches to maintain their full-time status. And there might be less staff available in reference depts, library users might have to wait longer for reference desk assistance.
-- Here are some other workable suggestions for extra revenue: start charging some small library fees: a nominal charge of $1 to get a library card or renew a library card (or maybe $2 for adults, $1 for kids under 18?), maybe a $1 charge attached somehow to internet station privileges (either a one-time charge or $1 to be paid per day of internet use?) And how about a $1 charge per request for some library items (just for DVDs? and/or for best-selling list books?) All these small fees add up and wouldn't be that unaffordable for even the poorest library users! (I'm sure many library users would prefer to pay these small fees rather than have all these branches shut down!)
Yes, there would still be SOME branches closed & SOME library personnel laid off. But there wouldn't be the devastating losses that are scheduled to occur in two weeks!
And what about that 2-week timeframe? WTF??????? Couldn't this turn of events have been predicted weeks ago? Couldn't residents of CLT/Meck County been given at least a one-month heads up? Or better yet, 2 months? Was the library administration/board here so blind to the possibility that these events were likely to occur? Did they suddenly realize that "Oops! Looks like we have to shut down half the system in just 2 weeks! Didn't have any idea this was coming!"
If so, that demonstrates extreme incompetence on their part (who were they relying on for their info/research?) & the library head & his league of over-paid assistants should be fired ASAP! Or were they completely aware of this cutback situation weeks/months ago & just chose not to reveal the exteme nature of potential library cutbacks to the public at large until the last minute? To me, that's still incompetence! And what about the incompetence of recently building a 5 or 6 million dollar new library branch? What about the stupidity of investing in a new library system name/logo design which resulted in millions of dollars of additional, unnecessary costs to the library system? (not going thru with that stupid move would have provided plenty of money to fund the threatened library branches!) Does anyone still have faith in this library head & his administration? Why does he/they still have a job?
And what about that 2-week timeframe? WTF??????? Couldn't this turn of events have been predicted weeks ago? Couldn't residents of CLT/Meck County been given at least a one-month heads up? Or better yet, 2 months? Was the library administration/board here so blind to the possibility that these events were likely to occur? Did they suddenly realize that "Oops! Looks like we have to shut down half the system in just 2 weeks! Didn't have any idea this was coming!"
Just saw an Observer article which addresses some of these questions:
County: Need for cuts just now apparent - CharlotteObserver.com (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/19/1322975/county-need-for-cuts-just-now.html - broken link)
Also, an editorial: The hard truths of county budget cuts - CharlotteObserver.com (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/19/1322422_the-hard-truths-of-county-budget.html - broken link)
Glad there's some reporting and editorials being published about these specific points! Maybe some heads will actually roll?
This is so sad! The libraries are such a valuable resource and desperately needed - I'd honestly be willing to pay higher taxes if it meant keeping all the libraries open.
Not sure what map you guys are looking at, but East Charlotte got hit the hardest. THe Plaza Midwood branch is the only one left open, and its a very tiny one. The South County branch is still on, and it's quite large. Steele Creek is also open.
I doubt that these closings will really happen. This is a tactic nonprofits have been using for years. Ever notice the blood drives who are always so short that catastrophe will happen if they don't get 100,000 donations in two weeks? It's the same here. Now they're running a campaign for $2 million in donations? I don't doubt there are problems but these drastic cuts seem like they would save WAY more than $2 million.
It also needs to be reiterated that CATS funds come from the City, not the county. I agree there needs to be consolidation. With the tiny amount of land that is still unincorporated in Mecklenburg County, it should be more politically feasible.
They need to institute a 5% pay cut on all making over 50,000; 10% on over $100,000 and 25% on any over $150,000,
I agree with the bolded part here. I just don't see it happening. Looks like the Observer's editorial folks are thinking the same thing:
Quote:
We are puzzled, however, about why the library couldn't find less draconian ways to make the cuts. After all, when Jones told the library weeks ago that it would have to make cuts before the end of the budget year, system officials said that cutting $1.7 million would force the closing of four branches. Now, a $2 million cut for the current year forces the closing of 12 branches? It makes one wonder if the library is employing the Washington Monument tactic, named for the National Park Service's habit of threatening the closure of the ever-popular monument when budget cuts struck, only to have public outrage avoid such a fate.
Read more: The hard truths of county budget cuts - CharlotteObserver.com (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/19/1322422_the-hard-truths-of-county-budget.html#ixzz0ieI25Tp2 - broken link)
This is so sad! The libraries are such a valuable resource and desperately needed - I'd honestly be willing to pay higher taxes if it meant keeping all the libraries open.
That's what they want us to do. People to give in and say yea we'll pay more taxes to keep the libraries open instead of just cutting the entitlement programs. The libraries always get picked on.
There needs to be a volunteer program for augmenting those that will be leaving. I would be willing to volunteer 8 hours a week. Shutting a library is incomprehensible.
Has anyone in the Library administration or local government studied what other communities across the nation have done when facing these drastic types of library cutbacks? There are been many similar situations nationwide during the past few years, why not LEARN from what worked/didn't work in other cities/counties? (maybe because that would make too much sense??)
I've only been in Charlotte about 2 years, relocated from Buffalo NY, a city and an area (Erie County, Western New York) with much worse economic conditions over the past decades than CLT/Meck County has ever faced (decades of job loss, population loss, high taxes and lots of corruption & wasteful layers in local/county/state goverment.) Yesterday, when I heard about the drastic library closings being threatened here in CLT, I had a severe case of deja vu from about 5 yrs ago. In 2005, the Buffalo and Erie County Library System faced similar devastating budget cutbacks and all kinds of threats were made, all kinds of doomsday scenarios proposed which would have more or less destroyed a good library system.
At one point, announcements were made that were similar to the announcements made here in CLT yesterday-- that some Buffalo/Erie County library branches could be shut down permanently, some shut down temporarily, drastic reductions in days/hours/library services and many library workers would lose their jobs. It was awful to hear these threats and everyone was very upset. However, as I recall, these threats were announced in September or October & predicted to go into effect by December or January. So THERE WAS ALMOST 3 MONTHS TO SUGGEST & IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS TO THE LIBRARY BUDGET CRISIS-- NOT JUST TWO WEEKS!! Sorry for the shouting but I still cannot believe this 2-week timeframe/deadline-- it allows NO time to work out alternative solutions! When Buffalo/Erie County announced vast library cutbacks almost 3 months before they were to occur, I can remember how shocked and outraged the public was that there was so little time to deal with these problems! But two weeks? TWO WEEKS??!!
I don't remember every detail about what happened 5 years ago in Buffalo (maybe someone here can research this.) But during that similar library budget cutback crisis in Buffalo NY/Erie County (a place mired in government corruption & waste for decades), eventually there were solutions implemented in time (within those 3 months?) which, even if not ideal, were enough to save the county-wide library sytem from total annihilation! Having a timeframe/deadline of more than 2 weeks definitely helped! As I recall, a sales tax increase was voted into effect in time, (think it went up by 3/4 or 1%?) Also, some small library service fees were added. In the end, even though there were some cutbacks/reductions in days/hours/services, even though some branches were shut down, even though some library workers were let go & some library fees raised-- the library system was NOT destroyed (as the library system here might be destroyed if the threatened library closings/cutbacks go into effect in the next two weeks!)
Hey, I'm not saying that things are done better all the time in Buffalo NY or in the Northeast compared to Charlotte or the South. Far from true-- that's NOT the case at all! But in this particular similar situation, Buffalo/Erie County somehow managed somehow to avoid almost certain destruction of their library system. And maybe CLT/Meck County can examine the history & learn something from similar budget cutback events that have occured in other communities nationwide.
BTW, in Buffalo, no one hoped or expected private citizens to donate all the money needed to "save" the library system (even with almost 3 months available for fundraising.) Although there's many wealthy Charlotte residents who believe in donating to worthy causes and have done so in the past, how likely are they to donate enough to rescue the libraries with less than 2 weeks available to accomplish this?
that's what they want us to do. People to give in and say yea we'll pay more taxes to keep the libraries open instead of just cutting the entitlement programs. The libraries always get picked on.
Well, it seems to me that someone is playing games with us, to be frank about it.
Either our county manager or the Mayor have decided that once the folks "with the money" get upset about the libraries, then we will all keep our mouths shut about where the money is actually going - and we will instead focus on HIGHER TAXES.
I can write the scene. (And yes, this is FICTION).
"After all, good citizens of CHARMECK," says our County Manager . . . "you all screamed and yelled about having your libraries closed. Well, the only way to operate them is to increase taxes by 35%."
And the Mayor just nods his head in agreement.
This is how I see it playing out, instead of folks saying "WAIT A MINUTE!!!! What about all the duplication of services going on in entitlements in this city?"
That is what I envision. We are getting played, folks. There is enough money in this county, for God's sake, to keep things open and functioning! The problem is HOW IT IS BEING ALLOCATED.
Are we just gonna let these people get away with this????
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Couldn't this turn of events have been predicted weeks ago?
Couldn't residents of CLT/Meck County been given at least a one-month heads up? Or better yet, 2 months? Was the library administration/board here so blind to the possibility that these events were likely to occur? Did they suddenly realize that "Oops! Looks like we have to shut down half the system in just 2 weeks! Didn't have any idea this was coming!
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