As the president of the Fountain Hills Friends of the Library, I’m asking citizens to oppose a bill pending in the Arizona State House of Representatives, HB2379. This measure places a two percent cap on all budgets for library districts around the state, beginning 2014.

Fountain Hills Library Branch is owned and operated by the Maricopa County Library District. What would this change to the county’s budget mean for our Fountain Hills Library?

Significant cuts in services such as:

*Reducing 64 operating hours a week to 32;

*Eliminating three full-time and one part-time staff positions;

*Eliminating all children, teen and adult programming including story times, computer, iPad and eBook training, author visits, teen council, writing workshops, book clubs and the summer reading program.

The cuts that would have to be imposed are unimaginable. Our library is a significant gathering place for our citizens and one of our most basic institutions. Last year alone, there were 186,000 visits, 8,200 people attended 479 programs, and there is at last an important place for our teens to congregate.

The Friends of the Library has always been able to add financial support for library programs that cannot be covered by the county budget. However, we could in no way cover the severe shortfall that would result from HB2379 restrictions. And neither can the town as has been clearly demonstrated since the recession began.

Last week the Town Council went on record as opposing HB2379. We were told by the mayor that the bill is expected to pass “because there does not seem to be any opposition to it.” We urge you, our citizens, to write to Rep. John Kavanagh to express your concern about HB2379, jkavanagh@azleg.gov.