Libraries Win Hard Victory at County Budget Meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Contact: Rachel Johnson, 305.771.2167
Email: [email protected]

Libraries Win Hard Victory at County Budget Meeting

Thanks to weeks of hard work by public library advocates and allies, Miami-Dade county commissioners voted last night — at the end of an eight-hour-long meeting during which they heard from hundreds of community members — on a compromise that will use budgetary reserves to fully fund our library system this year.

"We commend commissioners Barreiro, Edmonson, Heyman, Jordan, Monestime, Moss, and Suarez, who expressed their support for fully funding libraries. These commissioners showed bravery and a willingness to listen to their community, who told them with a unified voice that investing in our libraries is vital to the present well-being and future promise of our county," said Miami Dems Chair Annette Taddeo-Goldstein.

The commissioners ultimately agreed to use library funding reserves to pay for the system this year. "This is a clear victory for the libraries, no thanks to Mayor Gimenez," said Taddeo-Goldstein, "who fought real solutions to the library crisis at every turn. And it's by no means the end of the fight. The commissioners have another year to find a sustainable solution, and the Miami Dems will stand with the libraries and those who advocate for them."

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