Ohio Senate Finance Committee Continues Work on State Budget

Randy Gardner photo

Ohio Sen. Randy Gardner (R-Bowling Green) talks about the Public Library Fund (PLF) during his report to the Senate Finance Committee.

Deliberations on the state’s Fiscal Year 18-19 budget (HB 49) are moving forward in the Ohio Senate. During a Senate Finance Committee hearing yesterday, Subcommitee Chairman Randy Gardner (R-Bowling Green) reported on the activities on his subcommittee and talked specifically about the Public Library Fund (PLF). View testimony (begins at 55:55 mark).

 

Senate Leadership Tackles Budget
The full Senate Finance Committee will continue public hearings this week and next. However, a significant amount of work also will take place behind the scenes as the Senate Leadership will craft their version of the bill. The Senate Leadership is expected to unveil their budget proposal around June 12.

Potential PLF Cuts in FY18
Based on the latest information, the Senate is expected to reduce overall spending in the bill by $800 million to $1.1 billion over the biennium. This means, the Public Library Fund (PLF) could be cut by these minimum amounts in FY18:

  • – $19 million based on a $1.1 billion state budget revenue reduction
  • – $16.6 million based on a $800 million state budget revenue reduction
Contact the Ohio Senate
There’s still time to contact members of the Ohio Senate. Call or e-mail your senator(s) and share the following talking points:
  • Ohio’s public libraries currently receive $119 million LESS in state funding than what they received in 2001 – a 24% reduction in funding over the last 15 years with no adjustment for inflation.
  • In Fiscal Year 2017, the Public Library Fund (PLF) is receiving $24.6 million LESS than what was authorized by the General Assembly in the last biennial budget – a 6% loss in funding.
  • Ohio’s public libraries could receive three additional cuts under HB 49:
    1. Reduces the PLF percentage of the General Revenue Fund (GRF) from the current rate of 1.7% to 1.66%.
    2. Declining state revenues into the GRF further reduces the PLF distribution to libraries every month.
    3. Removing the Medicaid Managed Care sales tax (MCO) from the GRF further reduces tax revenues and ultimately reduces the PLF.
Encourage members of the Ohio Senate to:
  • NOT make additional cuts in funding to public libraries!
  • Maintain public library funding at the current level of 1.7% of the GRF.

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