Ohio budget would cut the funding by half
Residents all over northwest Ohio braved the heat today to join a statewide rally against major cuts to Ohio's library system
Clyde Scoles is executive director of the Toledo-Lucas County public library. He said, "Who wants to see a sign on the door saying 'Library closed'? That's what we're facing here."
Scoles says state budget cuts currently on the table would cripple the Toledo-Lucas County library and countless others. "We'll have to dismantle all the wonderful things we've been able to build and the public has supported locally all these many years." Closed on Sundays, fewer books and layoffs, says Scoles.
But second grade teacher September Kuebler knows it could be even worse in Wood County. Some libraries in that system may be forced to close.
Luebler spent hours outside today telling people to call lawmakers and protest. "My students all live in small rural communities too and those little libraries are what they count on."
Friday, Governor Ted Strickland announced plans to cut $2.4 billion from the state's budget. That includes a cut of more than $112 million from the public library fund-- about half.
Seventy percent of Ohio's libraries, including the Wood County library, rely entirely on state funds. That's why Wood County has already cut back on hours and cut in half the staff.
At the protest, Kuebler said, "If we don't reach these small children now and encourage them to become strong readers and to love learning, it's much harder to capture them when they're teenagers, when they're older."
local
Sponsored Content
- Free Zoo admission for Lucas County residents this weekend
- Ohio man found dead in snow with shovel nearby
- Mobile Meals of Toledo won't be stopped by snow
- Free Disney ticket for Imagination Station volunteers
- TPS Board votes for new tax levy on May ballot
- Level 3: Should you stay or should you go?
- Michigan man with 100 dogs gets 5 years' probation
- Toyota recalls 437,000 Priuses, hybrids globally
- 4 Ways to Lose 100 lbs - Part 1
- Photos: Viewer pics of February snow!
-
Most Popular
-
Most Viewed StoriesMost Viewed VideoMost Viewed Photos
13ABC Everywhere
Wireless
Breaking news as it happens. Sign up now!
Visit our mobile site at my13abc.com.
Get our iPhone application.
Newsletters, Alerts, and RSS
Sign up for our newsletters to get news, weather and other alerts via email.
Get breaking news alerts on your desktop
With our RSS feeds, get real-time updates of 13abc.com using your favorite news reader.
Blog
Contests, Promotions, and Registration
Check out our contests and promotions. There are always great opportunities to win!
Become a member to enter contests, comment on stories, receive newsletters, and more!
- 13abc.com home
- Site Map
- RSS
- Advertise with Us
- Contact Us
- DTV Reports
- Technical Help
- ABC.com
- ABCNews.com
- Privacy Policy
- Safety Information for this site
- Terms of Use
- Copyright ©2010 ABC Inc., WTVG-TV/DT Toledo, OH. All Rights Reserved.





