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Tax Reform Measures Have Florida Libraries Bracing for Major CutsA property-tax rollback passed by the Florida legislature in June is sending libraries scrambling to prepare for significant cuts; but even worse consequences loom if voters approve a constitutional amendment on the January ballot. The June measure, which goes into effect at the start of the next fiscal year on October 1, is a tax cut and cap that requires cities and counties to roll back their annual tax rates to 2006–07 levels, as well as mandating additional cuts. However, governing bodies are permitted to override the measure with a two-thirds supermajority vote. Press reports indicate that the prospect of funding cuts has prompted library systems to raise the likelihood of reducing operating hours, closing on Sundays, trimming outreach services and programming, and charging residents for library cards. Washington County commissioners have already placed a hiring freeze on the library in response to the tax rollback and operating hours have been reduced, Panama City’s NBC affiliate WJHG-TV reported July 31. The constitutional amendment, to be decided January 29, would replace the current $25,000 homestead exemption and the 3%-a-year Save Our Homes cap with a new exemption of as much as $195,000, according to the July 23 Palm Beach Post. Florida Library Association Executive Director Ruth O’Donnell told American Libraries the so-called “super-exemption” would result in an average 22% cut in state revenues to municipalities and counties, with individual cuts ranging from 10% to 35%. FLA is surveying the state’s libraries about the effects of the October 1 reductions. Meanwhile, O’Donnell noted that proceeds from the sales tax—a major revenue source in a state without a personal income tax—have been down recently, and “that will probably cause state aid to public libraries to be cut this year”—at a time when libraries cannot afford to lose additional support. Posted on August 6, 2007. |
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