Bonds for Libraries

Legislature Special Session, Monday 3/1

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:16:54 +0000

The G.O. Bond Bill, S.B. 1, was amended in the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. They restored the library bond distribution to $2 million each for public, academic and school libraries and $1 million for tribal libraries. The amended bill passed the House this afternoon on a 46-19 vote. It now goes back to the Senate for concurrence.

S.B. 1 is now in the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. $1.75 million each for academic, public, school & tribal libraries. NMLA Legislative Advocate Larry Horan believes that the Committee will not want to change the amounts again. With the progress made on the budget bill, legislators are eager to complete the work of the Special Session.

The Gov. has changed the Special Session date to Monday March 1. More time to contact your State Legislators asking for their support of a GO Bond for Libraries in the amount of $7 million.

Money for our purchase of materials depend on a GO Bond issue for 2010. Act now!

Progress of SB 113 (GO Bonds)

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:33:53 +0000

The Senate did not concur with some of the amendments, and SB 113 died. It will be brought up again in the
Special Session, probably with the library amounts from the House side. It seems that the Senate conferees did not concur with a different amendment than the library part.

Bond Bills Are Heard in Legislative Committees

joes — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:56:10 +0000

A Senate and a House version of a 2010 General Obligation Bond Issue are progressing through the Legislature. Of the two, the House version is preferable. The two must be reconciled and passed before the end of the session next Thursday, February 18th. Urge your legislators to support House Bill 226, which provides $10 million for academic, school, public and tribal libraries. Senate Bill 113 provides only $7 million. See the texts of these two bills on the Bonds for Libraries website.

Senate Bill 113 was heard by the Senate Finance Committee on February 9th, amended and given a do-pass recommendation. It will be considered by the full Senate on Thursday or Friday. House Bill 226 was heard by the House Voters and Elections Committee on February 9th, and is awaiting a hearing by the House Taxation and Revenue Committee. When that happens, library supporters should attend and wear their yellow t-shirts.

Joe Sabatini, Co-Chair, NMLA Legislation Committee

Library Legislative Day 2010 Photos

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:51:07 +0000

The day started with the orientation at the Santa Fe Public Library

The capitol rotunda table had handouts with

information about NMLA and Bonds for Libraries

The yellow T Shirt brigade attends the senate session

and Joe Sabatini visits with Senator Feldman

Legislative Day Orientation Details

joes — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:47:00 +0000

The New Mexico Library Association will hold its annual Library Legislative Day on Thursday, January 28, 2010, to show support for library funding and a 2010 library bond issue. The event will begin with an orientation at the Main Santa Fe Public Library, 145 Washington St. at 8:30 am.
For those attending the orientation, please enter from the staff door that faces the parking lot in back of the Library. Attendees may park at the Library lot free until 10:00 a.m., but must move their cars by 10:15 a.m. The City’s new parking garage next to the Convention Center on Federal, across from the Post Office, charges a maximum of $8.00 a day. It is 2 blocks from the Main Library. There will be snacks and beverages at the meeting.

The special Library Day T-shirts sponsored by NMLA and NMCAL will be distributed at orientation, with a suggested donation of $12.00.

The Library will provide a shuttle at 9:45 a.m. to take attendees to the Roundhouse. There will not be a return shuttle. The Capitol is just over 1/4 mile from the Library. (Be aware that if you plan to try to find a parking place near the Capitol, it is near impossible and the parking enforcement does issue tickets regularly.)

Thanks to Pat Hodapp, Santa Fe Public Library Director, for making these arrangements.

Be There! Do That! Buy The T Shirt!

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:51:14 +0000

Join Joe at Library Legislative Day, January 28,

starting at 8:30 am at the Santa Fe Public Library

then on to the Round House! Attendees will

receive a T Shirt at the SFPL Orientation.

A donation of $12 per shirt would be welcome.

New Mexico Library Legislative Day

joes — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:49:44 +0000

The New Mexico Library Association will hold its annual Library
Legislative Day on Thursday, January 28, 2010, to show support for library
funding and a 2010 library bond issue. The event will begin with an
orientation at the Main Santa Fe Public Library, 145 Washington St. at
8:30 am. Library supporters in distinctive t-shirts will be in the House
and Senate galleries when the sessions begin, and delegations of
librarians will be introduced. There will be a table in the rotunda to
display and distribute information about statewide library services.
Supporters will visit with their individual legislators to advocate the
importance of continued funding of library programs.

2010 Libraries GO Bond Request

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 17:06:17 +0000

$20,250,000 General Obligation Bond Issue

For New Mexico Libraries

The Legislature is being asked to support a bill authorizing Academic, Public School, Public and Tribal Libraries to be included in the November 2010 statewide GO Bond election. We are asking that voters be asked to approve a $20,250,000 dollar bond package which will fund the purchase of books and other resources.

Once again, as in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008, this bond has the potential to make a huge difference to all New Mexico libraries, big and small. All New Mexico citizens from Kindergarteners to Senor Citizens will benefit from funds included in this GO Bond.

This 2010 Libraries GO Bond request breaks down as follows:

1. $6.5 million for academic libraries

To be distributed on a formula basis by the Higher Education Department to all academic libraries in the state. This amount will allow academic libraries statewide to purchase supplemental library resources, including books, equipment and resources for academic libraries statewide.

2. $6.5 million for publicly funded school libraries/juvenile detention libraries

To be distributed both with a minimum per school amount and a per student allocation by the Public Education Department. This amount will allow the purchase of resources including library books and library materials resources for public school libraries statewide.

3. $6 million for New Mexico public libraries

To be distributed on a per capita basis to New Mexico public libraries by the New Mexico State Library. This amount will fund the purchase of books, electronic resources, equipment and planning for public libraries statewide.

4. $1.25 million for Tribal libraries

To be distributed on a per capita basis by the New Mexico State Library for supplemental library resource acquisitions, including books, equipment, planning and resources for tribal libraries statewide.

We ask all library supporters to urge their legislators to place a library bond issue upon the November ballot. The bill will be introduced by Rep. Ed Sandoval.

This 2010 Bond proposal is endorsed by the New Mexico Library Association, the New Mexico Municipal League, the New Mexico Consortium of Academic Libraries, the New Mexico Task Force for School Libraries and the State Library Commission.

“Bonds For Libraries” Committee & New Mexico Library Association Legislative Committee Chairs:

Joe Sabatini, Co-Chair, 505-344-9212, jsabatin@osogrande.com

Cynthia Shetter, Co-Chair, shetterc@loslunasnm.gov

Work Continues on G.O. Bond Bill Draft

joes — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:59:35 +0000

Work Continues on G.O. Bond Bill Draft

By Joe Sabatini, Co-Chair, NMLA Legislation Committee

NMLA Legislative Advocate Larry Horan has submitted the text of our bond to a bill drafter with the Legislative Council Service. Rep. Ed Sandoval, Chairman of the House Taxation and Revenue Committee, will be sponsoring this legislation. Saturday, the Legislative Finance Committee heard a report by Principal Analyst Linda Kehoe on General Obligation Bond Project Requests and Recommendations. She presented a preliminary “staff scenario” for a 2010 bond package totaling $159 million for funding education and senior citizen center projects. These were based on inputs submitted by departments in an ongoing capital outlay review process. On Thursday, Department of Finance and Administration Secretary Katherine B. Miller had reported that the state’s General Obligation Bond capacity for 2010 was $175 million. Ms. Kehoe noted that the staff scenario left $15 million for “policy makers’ discretion.” Representative Ed Sandoval asked why libraries had not been included in the bond package. Ms. Kehoe replied that the scenario funded priority renovation projects which had significant safety/health/ADA issues. She acknowledged that Representative Sandoval and other legislators could and did revise staff recommendations based on their judgment about priorities. Several Committee members commented that they were receiving many citizen comments about their increasing property tax burdens. Members of the NMLA Legislation Committee met with Ms. Kehoe later to review the types of information that the LFC staff needs to determine the impact and effectiveness of library bond funding. She also noted that the final LFC staff scenario is not publicly released until the LFC Budget document is released in early January.

The Committee will continue meeting through Tuesday afternoon. It would be timely to let members of the Legislative Finance Committee know of the importance of bond funding to your current and future ability to provide service to your communities. Although the LFC recommendations guide budget and funding decisions in the upcoming legislative session, the actual G.O. Bond bill will be prepared by the House Taxation and Revenue Committee.

Librarians will have another forum in which to present their needs. The interim Legislative Education Study Committee will meet next week. Omar Durant worked with LESC staff to get a slot on the Committee’s agenda on Wednesday, December 16th, tentatively at 9:05 am.
We are organizing a presentation which will include information about both the School Libraries Materials Fund and the 2010 G.O. Bond issue. Your attendance and your communication with committee members are encouraged. We will advise you of details about this meeting.

Your presence at Library Legislative Day, Thursday, January 28th is needed as well.

The following lists have links to the member pages on the Legislature’s webpage, including contact information. Or go to the Agencies box at http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/

LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE

Title Name Role
Representative Luciano “Lucky” Varela
Chair
Senator John Arthur Smith
Vice Chair
Senator Sue Wilson Beffort
Member
Representative Donald E. Bratton
Member
Senator Pete Campos
Member
Senator Carlos R. Cisneros
Member
Senator Stuart Ingle
Member
Representative Rhonda S. King
Member
Senator Carroll H. Leavell
Member
Senator Mary Kay Papen
Member
Representative Henry Kiki Saavedra
Member
Representative Nick L. Salazar
Member
Representative Edward C. Sandoval
Member
Senator John M. Sapien
Member
Representative Don L. Tripp
Member
Representative Jeannette O. Wallace
Member
Senator Rod Adair
Designee
Representative Andrew J. Barreras
Designee
Representative Ray Begaye
Designee
Representative Brian F. Egolf
Designee
Representative Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales
Designee
Senator Phil A. Griego
Designee
Senator Clinton D. Harden
Designee
Representative John A. Heaton
Designee
Senator Timothy Z. Jennings
Designee
Senator Timothy M. Keller
Designee
Representative Larry A. Larrañaga
Designee
Senator Linda M. Lopez
Designee
Representative Antonio Lujan
Designee
Representative Patricia A. Lundstrom
Designee
Senator Cisco McSorley
Designee
Senator Howie C. Morales
Designee
Senator Steven P. Neville
Designee
Representative Al Park
Designee
Representative Danice Picraux
Designee
Senator Bernadette M. Sanchez
Designee
Senator William E. Sharer
Designee
Representative Thomas C. Taylor
Designee
Senator David Ulibarri
Designee
Representative Richard D. Vigil
Designee
Senator Peter Wirth
Designee
LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

Title Name Role
Senator Cynthia Nava
Chair
Representative Rick Miera
Vice Chair
Senator Mary Jane M. Garcia
Member
Representative Roberto “Bobby” J. Gonzales
Member
Representative Jimmie C. Hall
Member
Senator Gay G. Kernan
Member
Senator Lynda M. Lovejoy
Member
Representative Dennis J. Roch
Member
Representative Mimi Stewart
Member
Representative Jack E. Thomas
Member
Senator Vernon D. Asbill
Advisor
Representative Andrew J. Barreras
Advisor
Representative Ray Begaye
Advisor
Representative Eleanor Chavez
Advisor
Representative Nathan P. Cote
Advisor
Representative Nora Espinoza
Advisor
Senator Stephen H. Fischmann
Advisor
Representative Mary Helen Garcia
Advisor
Representative Karen E. Giannini
Advisor
Representative John A. Heaton
Advisor
Senator Howie C. Morales
Advisor
Senator John Pinto
Advisor
Senator Sander Rue
Advisor
Senator William E. Sharer
Advisor
Representative Sheryl Williams Stapleton
Advisor
Representative Shirley A. Tyler
Advisor

Preliminary Draft of Library Bond Bill

joes — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:01:21 +0000

Draft of Suggested Language for the Library Bond Issue Portion of the 2010 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Bill – Revised December 15, 2009, 2009

By Joe Sabatini, Co-Chair, New Mexico Library Association Legislation Committee (jsabatin@osogrande.com)

Based on texts from 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 Bond Bills.

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF CAPITAL PROJECTS GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS TO MAKE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FOR SENIOR CITIZEN FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND ACQUISITIONS, FOR LIBRARY ACQUISITIONS, FOR HEALTH FACILITIES AND FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND ACQUISITIONS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND STATE SPECIAL SCHOOLS; PROVIDING FOR A TAX LEVY FOR PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL OF, INTEREST ON AND CERTAIN COSTS RELATED TO THE BONDS; REQUIRING APPROVAL OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS AT THE 2010 GENERAL ELECTION OF THE STATE; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. SHORT TITLE.–This act may be cited as the “2010 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act”.

Section 10. PROJECTS.–The proceeds from the sale of bonds issued under the provisions of the 2010 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act shall be distributed as follows for the purposes and in the amounts specified:

B. for library acquisitions at public libraries, tribal libraries, public school libraries and academic libraries statewide:

(1) to the cultural affairs department:

(a) six million dollars ($6,000,000) for supplemental library resource acquisitions, including books, equipment, and planning, design and construction of capital improvements to include library facilities for public libraries statewide; and

(b) one million two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,250,000) for supplemental library resource acquisitions, including books, equipment, and planning, design and construction of capital improvements to include library facilities for tribal libraries statewide;

(2) to the public education department, six million five hundred thousand dollars ($6,500,000) for supplemental library resource acquisitions, including library books and resources for public school libraries statewide; and

(3) to the higher education department, six million five hundred thousand dollars ($6,500,000) for supplemental library resource acquisitions, including books, equipment and resources for academic libraries statewide;

Section 11. ELECTION.–

A. Bonds issued pursuant to the 2010 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act shall be submitted to the registered voters of the state at the general election to be held in November 2010, and, if they receive a majority of all the votes cast thereon at such election, shall take effect upon certification of the state canvassing board announcing the results of such election. No bonds shall be issued or sold under that act until the registered voters of this state have voted upon and approved the bonds and property tax as provided in this section. Any bonds issued under that act shall be issued within thirty months from the date of such election.

B. The ballots used at the 2010 general election shall contain substantially the following language:

(2) “The 2010 Capital Projects General Obligation Bond Act authorizes the issuance and sale of library acquisition bonds. Shall the state be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed twenty million two hundred forty four thousand dollars ($20,244,000) to make capital expenditures for public, tribal, public school and academic library acquisitions and provide for a general property tax imposition and levy for the payment of principal of, interest on and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of the bonds and the collection of the tax as permitted by law?

For________________ Against___________________”;

Legislative Committee/PAC Meeting

admin — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:03:48 +0000

On September 19th, members of the NMLA Legislation Committee and the Bonds for Libraries PAC met at the Belen Public Library to plan for bond legislation in the 2010 Legislature. David Giltrow reviewed the 2008 campaign, and there was extended discussion about timing, campaign materials and media placement. The lack of donations limited the number of radio spots that could be purchased. Cynthia Shetter noted that some Friends groups didn’t think the spots were effective, and others noticed that no spots ran in their areas. Linda Morgan Davis suggested using new media like Facebook and Twitter to reach younger voters.

The need for more participation by the library community in the bond campaign was discussed. The regional coordinator structure which worked well in 2002 had only spotty participation by 2008. Kathleen Teaze said that the Las Cruces library leadership meets regularly to coordinate support efforts. The voter demographics may be different in 2010 that during the Presidential year of 2008. Pam Rishel suggested using the blogs and e-lists of the various groups (NMCAL, NALSIG, ASLSIG, and Municipal League) to educate and empower librarians to support the campaign. Joe Sabatini noted the decline in the number of people and groups contributing to the PAC over time. Bill Cicola commented on the modest turnout for Legislative Day, and said that there should be busloads of library supporters attending this event. Money is needed for media by July in order to reach early voters in September.

Library vendors have not responded to contribution requests, with a few exceptions. These contributors should receive ongoing recognition. David and Linda O’Connell have been redesigning the PAC website to enable updates to be posted more effectively. Linda asked that the website have a page that communicated what the public needs to know about the bond issue. Patrons need to know the connection between bond funding and the collections and databases available in their local libraries.

Representative Ed Sandoval has once again committed to sponsor the bond bill in the House, and will find a Senate sponsor for a companion bill. Librarians could inform their local legislators about the bond bill by asking them to be co-sponsors. The Legislation Committee is working with lobbyist Larry Horan to get a bill draft. There was discussion about the amounts of money to request. In the last two bond issues, each library type got an equal amount, $3 million. In 2008, an additional $2 million was added for Tribal libraries as a fourth category. The group decided to request a bond issue for $18 million, with $6 million each going to school and academic libraries, and 6.5 million going to public libraries, including tribal libraries. There may be less money available for general obligation bonds in 2010, so our request needs strong local support.

There will be continuing meetings of the NMLA and Bonds for Libraries PAC leading up to the 2010 legislative session which will monitor the development of the GO bond. Suggestions by librarians and library advocates are always welcome. The final bill going to the governor for his approval (or veto!) is mostly out of the influence of non-legislators, if history is any indication. We have become resigned to working on passing whatever emerges from the legislative process. However, discussions and representations with our legislators is always recommended. The same need for contacting the governor’s office also exists following the final version of the GO bond bill which ends up on the governor’s desk. He has 20 days to make a decision following the passage of the final version of the GO bond bill by the legislature.

Following the governor’s approval of a library GO bond going to the voters, the PAC swings into action informing the library community and promoting passage of the GO bond issue at the general election.