Officials to Urge More Library Funds

Faced with possible library closures after June 30, Ventura County leaders are set to meet with two high-ranking state officials in Sacramento today to plead for more money for cash-poor branches.

Led by County Supervisor Frank Schillo, the local officials plan to lobby the state to restore some of the money taken from the county library system in leaner times.

They say if Gov. Pete Wilson can propose a 15% income tax cut in his latest spending plan, the state can give some of that money to libraries before it goes back to the taxpayers.

“The state has taken the money in the past to solve their problems,” Schillo said. “Now that they have their problems in control, we need that money for libraries.”

In the midst of a recession, the state began withholding property tax revenues earmarked for local governments in 1992. The practice has crippled the county’s Library Services Agency, whose budget dropped from about $10 million to $5.8 million in the past four years.

County leaders--including officials from Ventura, Port Hueneme, Moorpark and Simi Valley--plan to take their case to Maureen DiMarco, secretary of the state Office of Child Development and Education. They will also meet with Nancy Patton, assistant deputy director of the legislative unit of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.

Penny Bohannon, county deputy chief administrative officer, said local officials will pursue money that state officials are calling excess revenues. Bohannon estimates the tax cut the governor has proposed would amount to about $600 million in its first year enacted.

DiMarco could not be reached for comment and Patton declined to comment Wednesday. H.D. Palmer, assistant director of the state’s Department of Finance, said the governor’s budget proposal includes $10 million for statewide pilot projects involving partnerships between libraries and schools.

But Palmer said the governor’s spending plan does not reflect any changes in money for libraries since county leaders began asking for more funds in January.