Regina Public Library not asking for tax hike

Regina Public Library isn’t going to be asking for more money from taxpayers to plug the hole provincial budget cuts have left.

In a news release, the library said it won’t be asking for a mill rate increase from city council at the meeting on Monday.

“Our customers are also feeling the effects of the recent budget and we don’t want to place any additional burden on them,” said Sean Quinlan, chair of the library board, in the release.Quinlan, chair of the library board, in the release.

The provincial government has cut all funding to the libraries in Regina and Saskatoon. The cut has left a $667,369 deficit for Regina Public Library.

Quinlan said the library can make adjustments to deal with the loss of funding, but this isn’t a sustainable situation in the long-term.

Instead of asking for more money, the library said it will instead focus its resources.

As was previously reported, libraries in the Saskatchewan will no longer be sharing resources.

Literacy and Aboriginal Services grants were cancelled in the provincial budget as well, so the library said it will have provide less cultural programming, and will have to re-evaluate and restructure its literacy programs.

This doesn’t necessarily mean people are going to be losing their jobs though.

In the release, the library said it believes it has enough flexibility with its term employees that it will be able to “assure that the economic livelihood of permanent employees will not be affected.” 

The Regina Public Library will be hosting two information sessions about the provincial cuts in the mezzanine at the Central Library on April 12-13 at 7:30 p.m.