2013-15 Budget Bill / Library Funding Update

On Wednesday, May 29, the Joint Committee on Finance approved funding for the Department of Public Instruction's library items included in Governor Walker's 2013-15 executive budget.

To summarize:

• Flat funding for public library systems
• Small increases in funding for 
• BadgerLink 
• the 4 statewide service contracts 
• Wisconsin Talking Book & Braille Library
• Wisconsin Library Services
• Milwaukee Public Library interloan
• Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
• Newsline for the Blind

As shown by the green highlights in the flow chart below, Joint Finance will soon conclude its series of executive sessions.   According to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau's "Budget Papers" webpage, the final session is scheduled for today, Thursday, May 30.   But to use a well-worn colloquialism, "it ain't over till the fat lady sings", and I'm not 100% sure if she's waiting in the wings today.

Nevertheless, we still have a month's worth of budget process ahead of us.

Once Joint Finance has finished its business, the budget bill (Assembly Bill 40) will be submitted to the Assembly.   The Senate also gets its chance to make modifications.

In other words, due diligence is still required.
 

A link and 2 follow-up questions.

A list of the members of the Joint Committee on Finance is found here.

Does your State Senator or Assembly Representative serve on this committee?

Any idea how often they hear from their constituents who love and value libraries?