Link to April 24 Miami Herald article.
Excerpt: Friday's bargaining included a House agreement to spend $11.7 million on libraries next year, about half of what the Senate had proposed. The House decided that programs to attract new corporate jobs to the state were equally important, but the state's top library official said the result would mean a loss of federal matching money.
``It's disappointing,'' said Secretary of State Kurt Browning, whose agency doles out library money. ``At a time when library use has skyrocketed, we're going to cut services.''
No budget is final until the presiding officers, House Speaker Larry Cretul and Senate President Jeff Atwater, sign the bottom line. Atwater, who's running for the statewide Cabinet post of chief financial officer, said he would look for more library money.
Related articles:
Petition to Support Funding of Florida's Libraries. (3/27/2010)
Florida Senate Panel Makes Partial Restoration of Library Funding. (3/26/2010)
$500,000 "Placeholder" Keeps Florida Library Funding Alive -- Barely. (3/17/2010)
Florida's $21.2 Million Aid to Public Libraries on Chopping Block. (3/12/2010
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