by Anna Daniels / Wednesday, November 19, 2008 8:40 AM
Here is the email I sent to all the City Councilmembers and the Mayor today:
I know you all want to find a way to support libraries and park & rec. This requires the following:* Time for review and discussion The mayor threw out the figure of an additional $330,000 of additional debt for every week that goes by. I am not convinced that this is a true picture and I know it is not the whole picture. If you close facilities, you are cutting off income streams from other sources. Libraries receive thousands of dollars worth of PLF funds and E-rate funds. We cannot afford to lose outside funding.
* Avoid short sighted measures to close the gap on a temporary basis while substantive remedies are sought. We do not support using any library funds set aside for other purposes-the Library Facilities Improvement Program specifically, or the set aside for the new main. This is like borrowing from peter to pay peter and these departments are already reeling from 4 consecutive years of budget cuts.
* Put the situation in perspective- THE SIX MONTH SHORTFALL FOR THESE DEPARTMENTS IS APPROXIMATELY 2.5MILLION DOLLARS. THE POPULATION OF THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO IS AROUND 1.3 MILLION. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO FIND A MODEST 2 DOLLARS PER PERSON TO KEEP FACILITIES OPENS. C’MON!
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