Murray Hill Preservation Association

Suggested talking points for the Save the Murray Hill Library Initiative – Greg Morgan

Why is the burden not being shared fairly and equally?

The cuts that take effect June 19, 2010, are a total of 110 weekly hours (20 hours at each of four branches, and 30 hours at Murray Hill). Total weekly open hours for all 21 library branches (including the Main Library) prior to June 19 is 1135. A 10% across-the-board cut of hours at all 21 branches would have saved much more money than the devastating cuts to the five branches that have been singled out.

The June 19 cuts in hours do not affect 16 of the 21 library branches at all. Only five branches are having their hours cut. More than 75% of the Duval County Library branches did not have their hours reduced at all in the June 19 cuts. Four of those that are being cut are suffering 50% cuts (from 40 hours a week to 20), and Murray Hill has been singled out for a 60% cut (from 50 hours a week to 20).

Five branches were sacrificed to avoid any inconvenience to the other 16.

Criteria used to determine cuts:

1. Proximity to other libraries.  Mobility and ease of access.
   Ignores differences in transportation abilities in the various communities.
   Suburbanites well equipped to drive automobiles every day; driving to another library is a minor inconvenience to this population.
   Less affluent populations cannot easily travel to another library; many children and adults in Murray Hill would lose access to a library.
2. Raw numbers. Using circulation numbers and gate (usage) numbers.
   Ignores patron characteristics.
   More affluent populations have computers at home and easy mobility, and have access to materials and services outside of the library’s.
   Less affluent populations do not have computers at home, and rely on free access to library computers and materials. Losing access to the library devastates this population.

When saving money by cutting a budget, it makes sense to cut line-items that are large in the first place. Cutting 30 hours a week from a small branch like Murray Hill has a much smaller effect than cutting 30 hours from a larger branch. If any branches are to be closed, why not close those from which the greatest savings will result?

Cutting services for the most needy populations might be good politics, but hurts our community in ways that go far beyond the individuals who are directly affected.

Unfair as the June 19 cuts in hours are, that decision is done now for this budget year. For the 2011 fiscal year, we should restore those hours to the five branches that were singled out, and distribute the pain, if any, in a fair way over all the branches.

For fiscal year 2010, property tax revenues for Duval County are $470,085,407. A 0.5% increase in those revenues would raise an additional $2.35 million. The mayor has proposed cutting the library system’s 2011 budget by a little more than $2 million. That minimal property tax increase would be enough to eliminate the need for any library cuts at all. For me, a fairly typical Murray Hill homeowner, a 0.5% increase in my property tax would cost me just over $0.65 per month, based on the Duval County Property Appraiser’s proposed figures for this year.   Sixty-five cents a month in extra taxes to save ALL of our libraries?   Sign me up!