PA Governor Proposes More PL Funding

Staff -- Library Journal, 1/31/2000

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge has announced plans for increased state funding for public libraries and literacy efforts, as part of his FY2000/2001 budget proposal. Said Ridge, "I don't believe that in the public service community there is an organization that stretches a public dollar further and maximizes the benefits of the investment better than libraries." Ridge, whose wife is a librarian, wants funding for his "Read To Succeed" initiative to be increased from $108.8 to $123.5 million. Under the plan, funding for libraries would grow by 31 percent to $62.3 million. The plan would also match state dollars to local support.