More groups in Connecticut are facing cuts in federal aid. This time, it’s libraries who learned they are losing money.
Connecticut continues to learn about cuts in federal aid, with both libraries and humanities organizations learning of abrupt cuts this week.
The National Institute of Museum and Library Services sent a letter to the State Library Tuesday stating its plans to halt $2.1 million in aid.
The money was meant to support summer programming, electronic books, books and materials for the blind and a program that allows residents with library cards to borrow from any library in the state.
“When you underfund libraries, this significantly impacts your neighbor and friends,” Connecticut Library Association President Scott Jarzombek said.
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NIMS said in the letter that the funding didn’t comply with President Donald Trump’s policies.
Jarzombek estimated 1.2 million people in Connecticut hold library cards, but also noted people without cards attend programs or use libraries for things like internet access.
“Yes, maybe you’re lucky enough to not use the library as a resource, but there are million – there's a million people in the state of Connecticut using the library one way or another,” Jarzombek said.
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Connecticut Humanities Executive Director Jason Mancini told lawmakers Thursday that he received multiple letters from the National Endowment for the Humanities revoking a combined $3 million in aid.
Connecticut Humanities uses the money to help support museums, historical societies and other cultural centers across the state.
“Through arts and humanities, people express themselves, experience others, all key social learning and emotional development,” Mancini said.
His remarks came during a public hearing where the Appropriations Committee was discussing, among other bills, legislation to provide more funding for humanities.
“Arts and humanities are our soul, and we’re seeing it ripped apart,” Rep. Toni Walker (D-New Haven), committee co-chair, said.
Michael McDonald, acting director of the NEH, said in a letter that the funding didn’t meet Trump’s policies and agenda.
The language was similar but not exactly the same as the one NIMS sent to the State Library.
McDonald also called it an “urgent priority” to revoke the funding.
Democrats have said they are considering using state funds to cover federal cuts, but maintain they may not be able to account for every dollar.
Sen. Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) said lawmakers will have to balance these cuts with demands for money elsewhere.
She also said Connecticut should be able to rely on federal funding that is promised, since the state already pays more in taxes that it receives back in aid.
“Why do we rely on the federal government – because these are federal programs, because we do fund them through our contributions to the federal government,” she said.
Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-Greenwich), appearing on Face the Facts, said Democrats should pass a conservative budget that keeps the fiscal guardrails intact if they’re worried about federal cuts.
Fazio, speaking about cuts in general and not those to libraries or humanities specifically, agreed Connecticut may need to restore some funding but added the state will need to strike a balance.
He said taxpayers should welcome federal spending cuts if they are concerned about being a so-called “donor state.”
“If there’s limitations on taxes and spending from the federal level, Connecticut taxpayers would theoretically benefit on the whole,” he said.
Attorney General William Tong (D-Connecticut) announced Friday afternoon that he joined 20 states in a lawsuit seeking to block the cuts to both libraries and humanities.
