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MLA Action Alert: 2010-11 Funding for state aid/MeL/MeLCat

Submitted by gcouraud on June 17, 2010 - 10:49am.   

While legislators work to address a 2010-11 budget shortfall of approximately $300 million, they have appointed the conference committee that negotiates the budget for state aid for libraries. This is a critical step in the budgeting process for statewide services for libraries. The Senate adopted budget includes $ 6 million in state aid  and the House version calls for $ 7 million.  However, the funding increase in the House is contingent upon additional revenue streams that are speculative.  We have a long way to go to get $ 7 million out of the conference committee. 



MLA's official position remains that we are seeking $ 8 million to best protect the maintenance of effort required by the federal government to sustain MeL funding but $ 7 million would be a victory and is what we are realistically aiming for. 



Conference Committee members include:  Senators Ron Jelinek (R-Three Oaks), Cameron Brown (R-Sturgis) and Mickey Switalski (D-Roseville); and Representatives Terry Brown (D-Pigeon), George Cushingberry (D-Detroit), and Gail Haines (R-Waterford).  



Immediate Action Requested:

 View and forward the video,  "MeL Investing in our Future, Saving $72 Million"

MCSL (MLC) sponsored the development of a 7-minute video which we have uploaded on YouTube.  Please view it and then forward it to your trustees, friends, staff and patrons.  The link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8h5jLK_Zlk.  Our goal is to have every legislator and as many users as possible watch this video and truly understand that MeL/MeLCat are at risk of implosion if we lose our state aid which backs up the federal funding.  We want the conference committee to vote for $ 7 million in state aid to libraries.



Email your legislators the YouTube link through CapWiz at http://capwiz.com/ala/mi/home/   and ask them to vote for at least $ 7 million. The site is set-up with key facts but personalizing the message to your local situation and how these services impacttheir constituents back home is even more effective.