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Funds needed to keep books mobile
Tuesday, August 28, 2001 By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Allegheny County's four bookmobiles, which last year lent 160,000 items, could come to a screeching halt in January unless the Allegheny Regional Asset District provides $825,000.
That forecast came at an asset district budget hearing last night from Marilyn Jenkins, director of the Allegheny County Library Association, a group of about 40 suburban libraries in communities outside Pittsburgh.
Jenkins said that because of their own budget problems, county officials aren't going to fund the bookmobiles in 2002.
In existence since 1957, they serve people in far-flung sections of the county who don't have municipal libraries or can't reach them.
Many bookmobile patrons are senior citizens or children. Last year, more than 160,000 books, compact disks, videos and other items were lent, she said.
Jenkins spoke at the first hearing on the 2002 asset district budget. The district is facing stagnant sales tax revenues in the current economic slowdown and ever-increasing demand for funds from 114 cultural, recreational, library and arts groups.
Total funding requests for 2002 are $97.3 million -- 28 percent more than the district's 2001 budget of $75.6 million.
The district's seven-member board allocates half of the approximately $145 million generated by Allegheny County's 1 percent sales tax.
Board member Gerald Voros criticized county Chief Executive Jim Roddey for cutting the $825,000 in bookmobile funds from the county's budget for next year. Jenkins said an appeal will be made to County Council to restore the money.
Voros said that a year ago, the asset district bailed the county out with $1 million for an "electronic information network" that connects all the libraries in the county. Now the county is in trouble again, and again expects the asset district to help out, Voros complained.
"The county won't take the heat for shutting down the bookmobiles. People will blame the RAD board," Voros said.
Board member Wesley Blaha agreed, saying that for the county "to dump [bookmobile funding] on the RAD is a poor way to do business."
In a letter, county Budget Director Carmen Torockio said, "We continue to believe that the bookmobiles are an important capital asset to the Pittsburgh area, and as such should be funded by the Regional Asset District."
The asset district will release its preliminary 2002 budget Oct. 1 and hold a public hearing in November. Final adoption will be in early December.
Executive Director David Donahoe said sales tax funds are coming in slightly below last year's totals. The district got $73 million in 2000 and expected to get about $72.5 million this year.
The drop in funds, though slight, is magnified by the large increase in demands from groups funded by the asset district.
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens officials last night asked for $4.7 million for a new parking garage at the rear of the present building in Schenley Park. The garage is a key element of a $36 million expansion.
Pittsburgh Children's Museum on the North Side is seeking $4 million as part of a $25 million plan to expand into the old Buhl Planetarium.
Another recipient of RAD funds -- $50,000 this year -- is WQED. Asset district board member Karen Farmer-White disclosed last night that on Oct. 1, she will take a job as vice president for education with WQED.
She said she'd checked with Roddey and asset district lawyers, who said that her new job doesn't violate any conflict-of-interest provision. But Voros said he didn't like it.
"Public perception and confidence in the board is important," he said, adding that WQED is seeking $150,000 for 2002.
The asset district board set up a three-member committee, including Voros, to review its bylaws and decide whether employees of funded organizations should be allowed to sit on the asset district board.
The largest recipients of asset district funds are the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh system, Allegheny County parks, suburban libraries, four large parks within Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, Phipps Conservatory, the National Aviary and Renziehausen Park in McKeesport.
The district also is funding 90 other groups, including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Pittsburgh Children's Museum.
The asset district has multiyear deals to provide $13.4 million a year for the two new stadiums and new convention center, $3.2 million for Mellon Arena and funds for Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall.
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