The Mid-Continent Public Library Board slashed funding for the system last week by reducing the system’s operating levy by two cents.
The board and library leadership, including former system director Steve Potter, have been at odds for the better part of the year over the library’s budget. Earlier this year, patrons attended meetings protesting anti-transgender and homophobic comments made by board members.
These comments, and the perceived politics of the members of the board came to the fore again last week during the meeting, when members of the public protested a proposal by finance chair and Platte County representative Gordon Cook to reduce the library’s operating levy.
After heated discussion and a failed compromise effort to roll the levy back by only one cent, the board eventually voted 8-3 to cut the levy by two cents.
In 2016, voters approved an eight cent operating levy increase for the system, to pay for the renovation or reconstruction of aging branches, construction of new facilities, such as the Green Hills Library Center in Platte County, and establish funding for library programs.
The two cent decrease will amount to a cut of about $1.3 million from the library’s about $63 million budget. Library officials are working to cut the funds from system expenses.