Senate Republicans Stand Up for Public Libraries

Albany, N.Y., April 1–State Senator George Winner (R-C-I, Elmira) and his Senate Republican colleagues advanced today an amendment to the 2009-2010 state budget being enacted by Governor David Paterson and legislative Democrats that would ensure that local public libraries receive the same amount of state aid as last year.

The Republican budget amendment, which was defeated along party lines by the Senate’s Democratic majority, would have included $7.4 million in the Democrats’ $131.8-billion budget plan to fully restore the $18 million in state aid libraries received in 2008.

“Our local public libraries serve as cultural, educational and, more than ever before, economic lifelines for many community residents.  The library plays a fundamental role -- for families, for job seekers in a tough economy, as a community gathering space – and they deserve our strong support,” said Winner.