Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Math for the West Chester (PA) Public Library is not Adding Up


Link to August 15 Daily Local News article, "Adding supervisors might subtract from library, official warns".

Excerpt: Sundwall said after the meeting that the West Chester Library is intensifying its effort to get area municipalities to contribute to the library. Due to decreased funding, he said, the library has had to cut hours and services.

The library is in West Chester and relies on the borough for much of its funding. It also solicits contributions from the six townships in its coverage area. Of those townships, only two made contributions in 2009. Four of the six townships made contributions this year. West Goshen and Westtown are the two that did not.

Sundwall's library update took place at the end of the West Goshen meeting. It was not listed on the meeting agenda.

Supervisor Robert White said the township will think about contributing money to the library.

"We will consider it," White said. "We haven't started the budget process for next year."

The West Goshen supervisors have argued in the past that township residents should not have to fund the West Chester library. The supervisors said residents pay county taxes that fund the Chester County Library, located in Exton
.

And the current numbers don't provide much to work with.
Source:  Pennsylvania Department of Education

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