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Taxes For Texts: Dark Clouds Over LA's Reading Rainbow
Photo by red.dahlia via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Photo by red.dahlia via LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
The Los Angeles County library system is in dire financial trouble and, "cannot sustain its level of services over the next decade, according to a report delivered Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors," says the LA Times.
L.A. county is home to the nation’s largest public library system, operating more than 80 libraries, four bookmobiles and serving 3.7 million people in 51 of its 88 cities and in unincorporated areas.
Without increasing an existing special tax, the library system may be forced to make, "deep cuts in service hours and other programs, such as children’s services, homework help and gang prevention programs," reports the LA Times.
Commissioners are looking to "revamp" the special tax levy with a rate increase and expand to charge all areas served by the county library system -- currently the tax is charged to most of the unincorporated areas and 11 of the 51 cities. The goal is to generate an additional $12-$23 million every year over the next decade.
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