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City Budget May Adversely Affect Public Library
The City of Galesburg may finally be ready to fully fund its pension obligations. Problem is, it may be on the back of the Galesburg Public Library.

Library Board Treasurer Mike Kroll says of four possible property tax levy options presented in City Council work sessions, two would cut the library's property tax levy by 35-thousand dollars of what's being asked for this year, and one would more than double that cut. The Library's one-and-a-half million dollar budget is almost completely reliant on property taxes.

Kroll tells WGIL the library just can't cut any more from its budget.

"In the past we have given up Sunday hours, we have reduced our book budget over $50,000 over what it was five years ago," Kroll says. "Quite frankly, it's kind of hard to call yourself a library if you continually reduce the amount of money you spend on books, even as the cost of books increases, so the situation, there are no good choices."

The library and the city council have been at odds in recent years. Kroll says he's not sure how the City Council is going to react this year.

The City Council has a budget-related work session prior to its regular meeting Tuesday night.
09 02 11 by Newsroom
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