Posts tagged buffalo

Better News for Buffalo

Dec 1st

Posted by rblum in News

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The Erie County Legislature snapped its logjam on a 2011 budget Tuesday by restoring $4 million in support for the busy library system and renewing grants for an array of arts groups that would have collected no county dollars next year under the county executive’s proposal.

In a surprise, the library allocation drew unanimous Legislature support as the six-member Republican bloc broke from County Executive Chris Collins.

Collins had wanted to drop the county’s contribution to the libraries to $18 million, from $22 million, next year. But amid a public backlash, the Republicans teamed with rarely united Democrats to deliver the full $22 million.

The would-be recipients, however, should not count on the money just yet. Collins, who never likes it when the Legislature messes with his budgets, vowed vetoes and other steps to nullify what lawmakers did.

“Absolutely there are going to be some vetoes,” he told reporters in his 16th-floor office Tuesday evening as county lawmakers went home. “Whether we veto everything or not will be something we will talk to our commissioners about.”

But he added: “Whatever I do, I will look at cutting the funding for the libraries last. I will cut the culturals before I cut funding to the libraries.”

Save The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

Nov 15th

Posted by Tinamarie Vella in Local Efforts

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From Save the BECPL Facebook campaign:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001743521599

BECPL Fast Facts

* SITUATION: The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library faces a $6.8 million shortfall for 2011 if the budget proposed by County Executive Chris Collins stands. Library hours will be reduced from 332 to 205.

* COST: Buffalo/Erie County library services cost $28.64 per capita while comparably sized cities pay $43 and up per capita.

* VALUE: If you take out just 2 books and 10 movies a month, that is $74 value in a month and close to $900 value in one year.

* INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF LIBRARIES: In tough economic times, especially with high unemployment, people need libraries.

o Circulation of library materials continues to trend at over 6 million items per year.

o People depend so much on the libraries’ Internet connection that many people drive closed libraries, sit in their cars and connect on laptops through the libraries’ wifi.

o Bookstores and high speed Internet are not available in some of the small communities B&ECPL serves so these residents rely on the reading material and high-speed Internet that their local libraries provide.

o Economically challenged households in Buffalo and across Erie County can’t support the purchase of books, CDs or DVDs, let alone have a computer with Internet access.

* LIBRARY USE INCREASE: Computer usage in Buffalo & Erie County Libraries has always been high but it has increased 25% since 2008—the beginning of the economic downturn.

QUALITY OF LIFE: Libraries contribute to the community’s quality of life economically, equal access to information resources; children’s introductions to libraries; the future role of libraries; the impact of physical development on the sense of community; life skills, including accountability and responsibility; and career paths

**There’s also an online petition and blog at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savebecpl/**