Union donates $10,000 to levy campaign

By PETER H. MILLIKEN

milliken@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

A local union has contributed $10,000 to the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County’s levy campaign.

That gift, presented to the campaign Wednesday at the library-levy campaign headquarters in Boardman, brings total fundraising for the levy campaign to $38,262.

The Service Employees International Union represents librarians and clerical, maintenance and technical employees.

The campaign hopes to raise a total of between $50,000 to $60,000, said Janet S. Loew, library communications and public- relations director. No tax money can be spent to campaign for the levy.

The union’s gift came from dues paid by union members, said Allen Bacon, senior executive vice president of the SEIU District 1199 for West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio.

“It’s very important to us and to the communities that the libraries serve that they try to make up for some of the funding that has been lost” due to declining state support for libraries, Bacon said.

The library system is seeking voter approval on Nov. 2 for a 1.8-mill new, five-year, countywide property-tax levy that would generate $7.4 million a year for the library system.

This operating levy would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $54 a year.

Library officials say the new local levy is needed to offset declines in state funding, under which the library system has suffered a 34 percent loss of state money since 2001.

If the tax passes, library officials say they’ll be able to restore cuts in library hours, which were imposed last year, and maintain a quality library system. If it fails, five or six of its 16 locations would have to close, they said. The library system likely would have to lay off about one-third of its employees if this levy fails, Bacon said.

“It’s such an important cause. ... I don’t want to see any branches close. I think it’s so important for the kids in the community” to maintain library service, said Christine Muransky of Poland, co-chairwoman of the Citizens Committee for the Library Levy.

Future fundraisers for the library levy are:

Specially marked tickets to the musical “Chicago,” which is at the Youngstown Playhouse from Friday through Sept. 19, with 50 percent of the ticket price donated to the levy campaign. Call the library’s communications office at 330-744-8636, ext. 51620, for these tickets.

A tailgate sports barbecue and bazaar at the Everlife Worship Center, 474 Early Road, Youngstown, on the afternoon of Oct. 2. The time and admission- ticket price are still to be announced.

Beer, Burgers and Boccie for Books at the MVR Restaurant, 410 N. Walnut St., Youngstown, at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5. Tickets are $15 each and may be purchased in advance at the MVR, through the levy committee or at the door.