3151 University Drive

April 2009

State Aid to Public Libraries Threatened with "0" Funding - Contacts Needed!

The House and Senate Transportation and Economic Development (TED) Appropriations Conference Committee is working out the differences between the House and Senate Budgets. Going into conference both Houses had $21.2 million in their respective budgets for State Aid. When the conferees met earlier this evening the House came in with a proposal eliminating state aid funding entirely. Because the $21.2 million amount is the Maintenance of Effort level the state is required to appropriate in order to receive federal Library Services and Technology Act Grant dollars, elimination of State Aid also would mean Florida would lose LSTA eligibility. The House is proposing providing $8 million from state sources to replace the LSTA dollars that would be lost.

Note On MLC Funding - Earlier today we distributed an appeal for calls to TED conferees in support of Library Cooperative Grant funding. This evening the House conferees did not accept the Senate position of "0" dollars for the Library Cooperative Grants so the MLC's are still in the game.

Action Needed - Contact Senate Members of the Transportation and Economic Development (TED) Appropriation Subcommittee. The list below identifies' the areas members serve and provides their phone numbers and e-mail addresses. The best thing to do is call their Tallahassee offices. The deadline for contacts is tomorrow (Thursday) at 12:15 when the conferees meet next.

The Message - Hold the line on State Aid to Public Libraries Funding at the $21.2 level in the Senate budget (Line 3086A). If state aid is eliminated, branches will close all over the state and public library service to rural libraries will be decimated because of their reliance on Equalization funds that are part of the State Aid program.

Background - The problem is that the TED Conference Committee was not given a large enough allocation, or share of the total revenues projected for the state for next year. The legislative leadership needs to increase the TED allocation. The House TED Members do not want to hurt libraries, but this threat is so serious that the library community, indeed the people of Florida need to tell them no.

Please! - Keep your message, very, very positive!

Thanks you! Thank you! Thank you!

Lisa Manners -

FLA Legislative Chair

Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Conferees

April 20, 2009

House

§ Rep. Rich Glorioso (r), Chair – Parts of Hillsborough & Pasco counties –rich.glorioso@myfloridahouse.gov / District (813) 757-9110/ Tallahassee (850) 488-0807

§ Rep. Greg Evers (r), Vice Chair – Represents parts of Escambia, Okaloosa, & Santa Rosa counties – greg.evers@myfloridahouse.gov / District (850) 983-5550 / Tallahassee (850) 488-8188

§ Rep. Joe Gibbons (d), Ranking Democratic Member – Represents part of Broward County – joe.gibbons@myfloridahouse.gov / District (954) 893-5006 / Tallahassee (850) 488-0145

§ Rep. Gary Aubuchon (r) – Represents parts of Charlotte & Lee counties – gary.aubuchon@myfloridahouse.gov / District (239) 344-4900/ Tallahassee (850) 488-7433

§ Re. Esteban L. Bovo, Jr (r) – Represents part of Miami-Dade County – Esteban.bovo@myfloridahouse.gov / District (305) 364-3113 / Tallahassee (850) 487-2197

§ Rep. Jennifer Carroll (r) – Represents parts of Clay & Duval counties – District / Tallahassee – Jennifer.carroll@myfloridahouse.gov / District (904) 573-4994 / Tallahassee (850) 488-5102

§ Rep. Brad Drake (r) – Represents Holmes, Washington & parts of Jackson, Okaloosa, & Walton counties – brad.drake@myfloridahouse.gov / District (850) 892-8431 / Tallahassee (850) 488-4726

§ Rep. Audrey Gibson (d) – Represents part of Duval County – audrey.gibson@myfloridahouse.gov / District (904) 353-2180 / Tallahassee (850) 488-7417

§ Rep. Mike Horner (r) – Represents parts of Okeechobee, Orange, Osceloa, & Polk counties / mike.horner@myfloridahouse.gov / District (407) 943-3077 / Tallahassee (850) 488-8992

§ Rep. Dorothy Hukill (r) – Represents part of Volusia County – dorothy.hukill@myfloridahouse.gov / District (386) 322-5111 / Tallahassee (850) 488-6653

§ Rep. Janet Long (d) – Represents part of Pinellas County – janet.long@myfloridahouse.gov / District (727) 545-6421 / Tallahassee (850) 488-6197

§ Rep. Dave Murzin (r) - Represents part of Escambia County – dave.murzin@myfloridahouse.gov / District (850) 494-7330 / Tallahassee (850) 488-8278

§ Rep. Lake Ray (r) – Represents part of Duval County – lake.ray@myfloridahouse.gov / Tallahassee - (850) 488-4388

§ Rep. Maria Lorts Sachs (r) Represents part of Palm Beach County - maria.sachs@myfloridahouse.gov / District (561) 266-6645/ Tallahassee (850) 488-1662

§ Rep. Robert Schenck (r) – Represents parts of Pasco, Hernando, & Sumter counties – robert.schenck@myfloridahouse.gov / District (352) 688-5005 / Tallahassee (850) 488-6641

§ Rep. Richard L. Steinberg (d) – Represents part of Miami-Dade county – Richard.steinberg@myfloridahouse.gov District (305) 535- 5445 / Tallahassee (850) 488- 0690

§ Rep. Perry E. Thurston (d) – Represents part of Broward County – Perry.Thurston@myflroidahouse.go / District (954) 762-3746 / Tallahassee (850) 488-1084

Senate

§ Senator Mike Fasano (r), Chairman – Represents parts of Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, & Pinellas counties / fasano.mike.web@flsenate.gov / District (727) 848-5885 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5062

§ Senator Tony Hill (d), Vice-Chair – Represents parts of Duval, Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, & Volusia counties – hill.tony.web@flsenate.gov / District (904) 924-1646 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5024

§ Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla (r) – Represents part of Miami-Dade County – portilla.alex.web@flsenate.gov / District (305) 643-7200 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5109

§ Senator Paula Dockery (r) – Represents parts of Hernando, Lake, Osceola, Polk, & Sumter counties - dockery.paula.web@flsenate.gov /District (863) 413-2900 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5040

§ Senator Andy Gardiner (r) – Represents parts of Orange, Osceola, & Seminole counties – gardiner.andy@flsenate.gov / District (407) 428-5800 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5047

§ Senator Chris Smith (d) – Represents parts of Broward & Palm Beach counties – smith.chris.web@flsenate.gov / District (561) 650-6801 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5112

§ Senator Ronda Storms (r) – Represents parts of Hillsborough, Pasco, & Polk counties – storms.ronda.web@flsenate.gov / District (813) 651-2189 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5072

State Aid Threat - Urgent Contact List Expanded – Please Call Now!

Earlier we asked the library community to contact the Conferees of the TED Conference Committee and the legislative leaders heading up the appropriations process.

We are now asking you to also contact members of the House and Senate leadership identified below with the same State Aid message.

The Message –

1. Hold the line on State Aid to Public Libraries Funding at the $21.2 level in the Senate budget (Line 3086A). If state aid is eliminated as the House TED Conferees proposed late yesterday, library branches will close all over the state and public library service to rural libraries will be decimated because of their reliance on Equalization funds that are part of the State Aid program.

2. Please Increase the TED Conferees Allocation – We believe Rep. Glorioso and Senator Fasano need help to make the TED budget work. Please increase the TED allocation by the State Aid amount - $21.2 million.

Remember – Please keep it positive!

Thank you!

House

§ Larry Cretul, Speaker of the House - District includes parts of Alachua, Levy, Marion counties. larry.cretul@myfloridahouse.gov District (352) 873-6564 / Tallahassee (850) 488-1450

§ Rep. Dean Cannon - District Includes part of Orange County. dean.cannon@myfloridahouse.gov District (407) 623-5740 / Tallahassee (850) 488-2742

§ Rep. Adam Hasner - District includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. adam.hasner@myfloridahouse.gov District (561) 279-1616 / Tallahassee (850) 488-1993

§ Rep. Ellyn Setnor Bogdanoff - District includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. ellyn.bogdanoff@myfloridahouse.gov District (954) 762-3757 / Tallahassee - (850) 488-0635

§ Rep. Ron Reagan - District includes parts of Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. ron.reagan@myfloridahouse.gov District (941) 727-6447/ Tallahassee (850) 921-7747

§ Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera - District includes part of Miami-Dade County. Carlos.lopez-cantera@myfloridahouse.gov District (305) 442-6877 / Tallahassee (850) 488-4202

Senate

§ Jeff Atwater, Senate President - District includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. atwater.jeff.web@flsenate.gov District (561) 625-5101 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5100

§ Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla - District includes part of Miami-Dade County. portilla.alex.web@flsenate.gov District (305) 643-7200 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5109

§ Senator Alex J. Villalobos - District includes part of Miami-Dade County. villalobos.alex.web@flsenate.gov District (305) 222-4160 / Tallahassee (850) 487-5130