The Challenge of Wider Library Units: Merging Libraries and Developing Taxing Districts May Be a Way to Stabilize Funding, but the Path Is Not Always Clear

Fuente: ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
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Main Author: Hennen, Thomas J., Jr.
Format: Recurso educativo Open Access
Language:en
Published: 2004
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author Hennen, Thomas J., Jr.
author_facet Hennen, Thomas J., Jr.
Hennen, Thomas J., Jr.
collection Education Resources Information Center
contents The Challenge of Wider Library Units: Merging Libraries and Developing Taxing Districts May Be a Way to Stabilize Funding, but the Path Is Not Always Clear Hennen, Thomas J., Jr. Public Libraries Local Government Economic Impact Organizational Change Tax Allocation Library Administration Library Development State Aid Legislation Shared Resources and Services Last year, Louisville, KY, grew overnight from the country's 64th largest city to the 16th largest, the result of the merger of the city with Jefferson County. Pittsburgh and Buffalo, NY, are among other communities discussing city-county mergers. Many smaller communities are considering merging services, such as police and fire, or consolidating separate communities into a single larger entity. Budget pressures and the desire to eliminate needless duplication fuel such plans. Most attempts stumble on tax equity or power-sharing grounds. Libraries have not usually been in the forefront of such discussions because they are generally such a small piece of the total tax burden. If these cuts are merely cyclical, then library leaders can continue old strategies that allow, if not encourage, fragmention, tax disparities, and duplication of service. If a realignment of government funding and services occur, then radical changes in strategy will be needed. Wider units, referenda, regional taxes, and state or regional revenue sharing will become critically important. This article discusses these issues and possible solutions.
format Recurso educativo Open Access
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institution ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
language en
publishDate 2004
record_format eric
spellingShingle The Challenge of Wider Library Units: Merging Libraries and Developing Taxing Districts May Be a Way to Stabilize Funding, but the Path Is Not Always Clear
Hennen, Thomas J., Jr.
Public Libraries
Local Government
Economic Impact
Organizational Change
Tax Allocation
Library Administration
Library Development
State Aid
Legislation
Shared Resources and Services
The Challenge of Wider Library Units: Merging Libraries and Developing Taxing Districts May Be a Way to Stabilize Funding, but the Path Is Not Always Clear Hennen, Thomas J., Jr. Public Libraries Local Government Economic Impact Organizational Change Tax Allocation Library Administration Library Development State Aid Legislation Shared Resources and Services Last year, Louisville, KY, grew overnight from the country's 64th largest city to the 16th largest, the result of the merger of the city with Jefferson County. Pittsburgh and Buffalo, NY, are among other communities discussing city-county mergers. Many smaller communities are considering merging services, such as police and fire, or consolidating separate communities into a single larger entity. Budget pressures and the desire to eliminate needless duplication fuel such plans. Most attempts stumble on tax equity or power-sharing grounds. Libraries have not usually been in the forefront of such discussions because they are generally such a small piece of the total tax burden. If these cuts are merely cyclical, then library leaders can continue old strategies that allow, if not encourage, fragmention, tax disparities, and duplication of service. If a realignment of government funding and services occur, then radical changes in strategy will be needed. Wider units, referenda, regional taxes, and state or regional revenue sharing will become critically important. This article discusses these issues and possible solutions.
title The Challenge of Wider Library Units: Merging Libraries and Developing Taxing Districts May Be a Way to Stabilize Funding, but the Path Is Not Always Clear
topic Public Libraries
Local Government
Economic Impact
Organizational Change
Tax Allocation
Library Administration
Library Development
State Aid
Legislation
Shared Resources and Services
url https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ706367