Utica Public Library Funds

To the Legislative Board of Oneida County:

This petition is in regard to the continued funding of the Utica Public Library. Cutting the library's budget by $25,000 will negatively affect all of the city's library users and the library itself. In the wake of a proposed sales tax hike (1.5\%) it is a shock and a shame that the county is threatening to sever one of the main financial arteries to our city's only source of reference materials, local historical documents and literature old and new. If anything, the Library should be more heavily funded by the county so that technology is kept up to date, new books can be added and part-time employees can keep their jobs.

As citizens of a city that needs every ounce of culture possible, we implore you to consider the future: a city where only the financially privileged will be able to enjoy books. Mayor Tim Julian has designated October to be "Arts and Humanities" month. Why don't we expand this sentiment by financially supporting our arts and humanities? We urge you to keep the historic library funded. It is Utica's temple of the intellect.