Librarians urge Florida lawmakers to protect library services after the passage of Amendment 3

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Florida Capital Bureau) - With the passage of Amendment 3, librarians around the state are unsure of how secure funding for library jobs and services will look in upcoming years.

National and state political coalitions are banding together to urge lawmakers to consider libraries as a core service when they reconvene to implement Amendment 3.

John Kraska, the executive director of EveryLibrary, explained that multiple counties must respond to this tax shift as a “whole cloth approach”.

He described how the hit municipalities, cities, counties and independent library districts will be unequally distributed around the state.

Kraska cited that the projected cuts in Sarasota, Volusia and Bay counties necessitate a need for an all-in response.

“We’re looking at places where summer meals also get cut alongside summer reading, like in Volusia; we know that Manatee County has real concerns about reductions to libraries, parks and community organizers,” Kraska said.

Manatee County already issued a countywide hiring freeze in February this year, which has led to reduced staffing and library hours.

Sue Seiter, a board member of the Library Foundation of Manatee County, described the impact this shortage has on librarians.

“Staffing for libraries is down about 30% due to the hiring freeze, and also some attrition of people that are, were worried. I think about their future,” Seiter said.

Last month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called for a special session to address the implementation of Amendment 3.

In the legislature’s process of deliberation, Seiter hopes that they will consider libraries as a tax-exempt core service along with schools, public safety and infrastructure.

On the question of whether “library fees” would work as a viable solution to supplement property tax funding, Seiter said that this would undercut the foundation of public libraries.

“The whole reason Andrew Carnegie and other philanthropists have supported them, helped them get started, and then realized that they can never be just supported by philanthropy, that it is a public-private partnership,” she said.

Kraska noted that the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission will meet during the regular session next year and he hopes that they can pass policy to secure library funding throughout Florida.

“I’m hoping that we can have a conversation with the legislature in the next session about making sure that it’s seen for what it is. The public library is infrastructure for learning, infrastructure for literacy, infrastructure for community well-being. I think it belongs in a place that taxpayer funding should continue.”

DeSantis floated the idea of a special session to hammer out final details for implementing Amendment 3, but nothing is set in stone.