Last week, I wrote how the Philadelphia Library system was about to be shut down on October 2nd due to lack of funds.
Well, the library has been saved for now.
How can we make sure this never happens here? Nancy Pearl had a good idea in this story I wrote about new library fees:
Our libraries compete for funds with police, fire, road repairs, public health, and everything else on the city budget. The most effective library finances are in those communities with a separate library district, like King County, or where library funding comes off the top, like San Francisco. Seattle needs to move out of the municipal budget fight. The library board should start that work now.
I wonder if we can get either of the mayoral candidates to push for this idea?
How do we go about making this happen? Can an initiative accomplish this? Or is this the jurisdiction of the library board, city council and mayor?
Rehire Jonah (as a temp, maybe?) to write a post yelling at McGinn for not issuing a plan on this yet. It worked with the public-safety thing.
Hmm. If this is such a good idea for libraries, why is it a bad idea for schools?
Isnt’ McGinn proposing folding the school district into the City’s finances, under the mayor??? Or is that some other candidate?
The best way would be to amend the City Charter to provide that a certain percentage of City revenues must be dedicated to the libraries. For example, Article XI, Section 3 of the City Charter currently provides that ten percent of the gross receipts of the City from all fines, penalties and licenses must be placed in the Park and Recreation Fund.
I got an idea: Let’s Create A Library District.
I got an idea: Let’s Create the Seattle Popular Monorail Authority.
I got an idea: Let’s Put On a Show.
You can post your ideas on library financing to http://www.ideasforseattle.org.