More cuts coming for library budget; no layoffs expected

The board that oversees local libraries is expected to finalize a budget tonight that cuts more than $3 million next year.

That’s good news. Most every other government agency is cutting far more.

"We are so pleased," said Kelly Benavidez, vice chairwoman of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District’s Board of Trustees. "This is kind of the best of all possible evils."

The cut is small enough that no layoffs will be necessary, nor will the district have to further cut the hours the local libraries are open.

The cut, $3.2 million, about 6 percent, is less than half the cut the board had to make last year. That cut resulted in losing 93 employees, largely through buyouts and layoffs.

Jeanne Goodrich, the district’s executive director, said the district has already cut $16 million in the last three years. This cut will bring the total cuts to close to $20 million, she said.

The board is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget tonight.

Goodrich said the union that represents the district’s employees agreed to concessions that include no wage increases over the next two years, including cost-of-living and step increases. Health insurance premiums will also remain flat.

The district’s materials budget — money used to buy new books and videos — will remain 15 percent of its overall operating budget of about $50 million. Until the cuts last year, the materials budget represented 20 percent of the overall budget.

Most local libraries also cut their hours last year, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend hours were unchanged, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The district also raised fees for use of its meeting rooms and performing arts facilities. Those fees hadn’t been raised in 17 years.

The library district, independent of local or state government, gets virtually all of its revenue from property taxes and sales taxes.