Hamilton County/Cincinnati PL Prepares for Possible Lean Year

-- Library Journal, 10/03/2006

Facing a potentially frozen budget, the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County (PLCHC) must present three FY07 budget scenarios to the county budget commission. Unlike many other large library systems in Ohio, the PLCHC budget isn't boosted by property taxes. It mostly depends on the state's Library and Local Government Support Fund (LLGSF), a percentage of income tax proceeds. For FY07, that amount could remain frozen at 2004-05 levels, be distributed according to current tax income tax estimates, or be distributed at the 2007 level, ranging from $48.3 million to $58.8 million.

The LLGSF rate won't be determined until midyear 2007. The library system will go forward assuming the lowest estimate, and the difference will be resolved in July. If the maximum LLGSF contribution is distributed ($58.8 million), the library will adopt a $69.8 million budget, with funding for three new branches, and improvements for three others, raises, and restored service hours. But a $59.3 million budget scenario (with a $48.3 million LLGSF contribution) would mean hours won't be restored and the $3.3 million capital budget would go solely to maintenance efforts.