To deal with a $242 million budget deficit, Phoenix is planning a series of cuts to all types of city services
. Transportation. Senior centers. Libraries. As well as police and firefighters.
Already the police are fighting back. The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association has sponsored a television spot showing a frightened woman in a darkened house calling 911.
"We'll get out there eventually," the dispatcher tells her. Adding, "We're already down 450 officers, and the city wants to lay off more."
A narrator then urges viewers to call city officials and tell them not to reduce public-safety jobs.
"The bottom line is . . . I love the librarian, but I need the police officer," said PLEA President Mark Spencer. "That's why I'm dialing 911. That ad clearly communicates our issues, and that's why we put that on. That's what it is going to come down to."
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American Library Association
Office of Government Relations
1-800-941-8478
202-628-8410
February 2, 2010
Dear Library Union Member,
The ALA Office of Government Relations (OGR) asks all library union members to contact their U.S. Senators regarding the Jobs for Main Street Act, also known as the “Jobs Bill.” (Since it is not yet introduced, there is no bill number.) This bill may be introduced in the Senate as soon as this Thursday, February 4th.
The current draft of the Senate's $80 billion version of the Jobs for Main Street Act does not include library workers but does include teachers,firefighters, police and $1.5 billion for hiring and training youth. (The House has already passed its bill, H.R. 2847.)
We know that library workers are an important part of public sector employees.
ASAP: Please -
a. Adapt the information below and call or email a personal message to your U.S. Senators - call daily until we succeed; if you can do this every day unti
better;
b. Ask your local union as well as other union members, work colleagues and library supporters
c. Ask state and national unions to support adding library workers into this pending legislation.
U.S. Capital switchboard is 202.224.3121. For email addresses and other contact information go to: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
URGENT ACTION REQUEST:
Please call/email both of your U.S. Senators to ask each of them to request that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), include the hiring and retaining of library workers in the $20.5 billion as well.
This bill could come up February 4th. Ask the above Senate leaders to include library workers in the “Jobs Bill”. Please keep calling until we succeed. Make sure to tell your senators what your library is doing to help people find jobs.
Sincerely,
Lynne Bradley, Director
ALA Office of Government Relations
lbradley@alawash.org
202-628-8410
URGENT MESSAGE TO LIBRARY ADVOCATES:
Please call/email both of your U.S. Senators to ask each of them to request that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), include the hiring and retaining of librarians in the $18 billion “Jobs Bill” as well.
BACKGROUND FOR “JOBS FOR MAIN STREET ACT”
1. Funds would be intended to hire back staff released due to budget cuts, recruiting new staff and/or expanding staff services around job searching and employment skills training.
2. Our proposal to be a part of the $20.5 billion program to create jobs that provide public services would not add any additional funding, but would give libraries a specific amount to draw on.
3. The money would be used for library jobs that are focused on assisting patrons with getting back to work. employment.
4. These funds would be distributed in a clear, concise, affirmative manner through state library agencies using a formula based 50 percent on population, and 50 percent on relative unemployment (similar to the Department of Labor’s Dislocated Worker Program).
5. Depending upon need and eligibility, a minimum amount of funding per library could offer one full-time library job per branch/building and could potentially support a maximum of five full-time staff.
6. Libraries play a key role in getting America back to work again. Nationwide, the library is the only source of no-fee Internet access for 71 percent of Americans. With more and more job applications only being accepted online, the public library is becoming the center of most American’s job searches.
7.State Library Agencies reported in November 2009 that 77 percent of states cut funds that support local public libraries, which has meant layoffs, staff furloughs, and forced retirements. This has caused a 75 percent cut in services to the public.
Call the U.S. Capital switchboard ASAP at 202.224.3121. For email addresses and other contact information go to:
Without a Library, the cops are protecting a society that has taken a large step towards not being worth protecting.
If we cut everything except the police, the logical outcome is a police state.
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