The budget plan passed by the Ohio House of Representatives strips away millions of dollars from Governor DeWine’s budget proposal and completely reconfigures Ohio’s Public Library Fund, making it easier to slash funding in the future.
The Public Library Fund – which is currently 1.7% of Ohio’s General Revenue Fund and was slated for an increase to 1.75% under the Governor’s plan – was converted to a flat funding amount in the House budget.
While this amount is a slight increase over current funding, by removing the dedicated percentage funding for the Public Library Fund, the House has opened the door to even more cuts in future state budgets. The House budget plan also restricts what a public library can display, with vague language that is intended to create a chilling effect that suppresses books, content, and resources about gender and sexuality.
Library workers are fighting for strong public libraries where expert staff can serve their communities by freely disseminating information, helping students with homework, providing a safe community space, and connecting residents with public services.
The House budget now moves to the Ohio Senate where more changes will be made. Add your voice to the fight by contacting your legislators and leaders of the Ohio Senate Finance and Education Committees today.