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Officials: Indiana libraries expect to face financial challenges at state and federal levels

Officials: Indiana libraries expect to face financial challenges at state and federal levels

Yahoo11-05-2025

Local libraries in Indiana will face financial challenges in the years ahead as the state and federal governments make drastic cuts to funding, local officials said.
At the state level, libraries will see budget cuts amid the state budget and property tax reform. At the federal level, the Institute of Museum and Library Services funding was gutted, which will cut millions from the state library budget, said Julie Wendorf, the director of the Crown Point Library and president of the Indiana Library Federation board of directors.
'Libraries have been functioning in the state of Indiana since the late 1800s and doing the work in their communities. It's sad that we're under fire like we are right now,' Wendorf said.
Under Senate Enrolled Act 1, the property tax relief bill, libraries across the state will see a decrease of $18.6 million in 2026, $26.1 million in 2027 and $24.2 million in 2028, according to the bill's fiscal note.
Beginning in 2028, municipalities will have the option to raise the local income tax to 2.9% but libraries would only receive 0.2% of that revenue, Wendorf said.
Under the new local income tax structure, Wendorf said libraries will be 'significantly' impacted because some libraries in the state receive about half of their budget through local income tax as opposed to property taxes.
'This would hit them because they would actually get less of that local income tax distribution,' Wendorf said.
In Lake County, libraries currently don't receive local income taxes because the county reserves all the local income tax at the county level, Wendorf said.
With Lake County Council approval, local libraries have the opportunity for a portion of local income tax revenue starting in 2028 but 'it would certainly not be a dollar-for-dollar replacement,' Wendorf said.
Further, Wendorf said the libraries will share their portion of local income tax with other eligible units.
'For literary illustration, does it become a 'Hunger Games'? We're not really sure how that's going to work. We haven't really heard any answers on that yet. I think they have a lot to do to figure out how they are going to handle it. I think that's why they've pushed it off, so they have time to figure it out,' Wendorf said.
In addition to the decrease in revenue on the property tax end, Wendorf said libraries saw cuts in the state budget House Enrolled Act 1001, which Gov. Mike Braun signed Tuesday.
The state library saw a $1.1 million decrease from the 2023-2025 biennial budget to the 2025-2027 budget. Further, the library saw millions in program cuts, according to the budget document.
In the previous state budget, the state library received approximately $3.7 million, while in the recently approved budget, the state library received $2.6 million, according to the respective budget documents.
The 2025-2027 budget also removed funding for the Indiana Academy of Science, the historical marker program, Inspire, local library connectivity grant and others that were previously funded. The inspire and connectivity portions were removed in the final 24 hours of the legislative secession, Wendorf said.
'(The budget) really impacts the state library, and the state library in turn provides a lot of services to public libraries. There's a hidden hit to public libraries in that, that the state library won't be able to perform those services for us and we'll have to pay for those services or source them elsewhere,' Wendorf said.
For example, the state library helps with transportation of books throughout the state, Wendorf said, which allows libraries to borrow books from other libraries. That process helps libraries receive books visitors request without buying the book, she said.
By removing the local library connectivity grant, Wendorf said the Crown Point Library – which doesn't receive the largest funding – will have to pay $13,000 more for internet services next year.
Libraries will maintain internet services because it's a basic need the libraries provide, but that means other areas of library budgets will be impacted, Wendorf said.
Inspire is a collection of databases for K-12 students to help them with workforce development and research, Wendorf said. Officials with the state library have said it will move the Inspire cost, about $1.3 million, into its operating budget, which means there's even less money for the state library to further support local libraries, she said.
Porter County Public Library System Director Jesse Butz said it's difficult to understand the full impact the state budget and property tax relief will have on libraries because of the various moving parts.
'What we're focused on is what we always focus on, which is we're a very fiscally conscious library system in general. We use zero-based budgeting. We run a lot of data, a lot of metrics, and we alter our services in response to budgetary constraints,' Butz said. 'There will almost certainly be some sort of modifications we'll need to put in place. But until we know these numbers officially, it's tough to say what those 100% will be.'
Further, at the federal level, the IMLS was defunded, which further hit the state library's budget by $3.5 million, Wendorf said. That reduction in the IMLS funding will 'cascade' down to local libraries, she said.
'It's really a domino effect. There's so many small dominoes and they are all falling in the wrong directions on top of libraries,' Wendorf said.
The impact on local libraries will depend on how the state library responds to the state and federal cuts, Butz said.
For example, under the state's digital library, Butz said the state library pays $70,000 annually for the platform fee and the member libraries pay for materials. If that ends, Butz said the libraries would have to pay more to maintain their e-book collections, he said.
'There's all these ways in which they are able to support us that are kind of hidden. Until they are able to decide, or at least prioritize and triage, what they need to, we won't know which, if any, will actually impact us,' Butz said.
Under state law, libraries aren't allowed to have a capital fund and a limit on reserves, Wendorf said. That means, Wendorf said, that libraries don't have 'a cushion' for funding.
With all these fiscal impacts, Wendorf said library officials will have to choose between buying fewer materials, reducing hours and services, and cutting staff.
'There are many ways, and it will be unique for each library in how they are able to best deal with that in their community,' Wendorf said.
The impact of libraries in Indiana has been significant, Wendorf said. In 2023, 39 million materials were checked out, which equates to 557 books per seat at the Lucas Oil Stadium. That same year, 117,000 programs were hosted, which is 152 programs per point scored by Indiana Fever Guard Caitlin Clark in 2024, and there were 20.6 million WiFi uses, which is equivalent to the number of 'Off the Wall' albums sold.
In 2023, there were approximately 21.5 million library visits, which is more than four times the amount of corn acreage harvested in Indiana that same year. That same year, 15 million digital materials were checked out, which is more than double the population of Indiana, Wendorf said.
Library officials throughout the state testified before legislators about the importance of libraries throughout the session, Wendorf said.
'It just was falling on deaf ears,' Wendorf said.
akukulka@post-trib.com

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LA Protests: National Guard Troops Have Detained Protesters (Live Updates)
LA Protests: National Guard Troops Have Detained Protesters (Live Updates)

Forbes

time15 minutes ago

  • Forbes

LA Protests: National Guard Troops Have Detained Protesters (Live Updates)

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However, the police arrested 'multiple individuals' at the end of the night 'two small groups broke off' and allegedly 'committed vandalism and other criminal acts.' 1:30 a.m. EDTAccording to the U.S. Northern Command, the 700 Marines being deployed in Los Angeles are from the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Marines Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and they will 'seamlessly integrate' with the 1700 California National Guard unit deployed to protect 'federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area.' 12:40 a.m. EDTThe San Francisco Chronicle reported that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote a letter to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Sunday, asking him to order the military to detain or arrest 'lawbreakers' in Los Angeles. 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June 9, 11.30 p.m. EDTNewsom criticized the move to deploy Marines, saying the 'The Secretary of Defense is illegally deploying them onto American streets so Trump can have a talking point at his parade this weekend.' The governor said the state would sue to stop what he described 'a blatant abuse of power,' as he urged Courts and Congress to 'act.' 4 p.m. EDTUp to 700 Marines from a battalion based out of Twentynine Palms, California, were mobilizing to respond to the protests, according to ABC News, and are expected to deploy to the city within 24 hours. The Marines will aid the more than 2,000 members of the National Guard Trump deployed to Los Angeles, according to CNN. 2 p.m. EDTBonta announced he is filing a lawsuit against Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alleging Trump's order to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles was 'trying to manufacture chaos and crisis on the ground for his own political ends' while federalizing the National Guard 'is an abuse of the President's authority under the law.' Bonta claims the deployment deprived California of emergency response resources, infringed on Newsom's authority and violates the state's 'sovereign right to control and have available' the National Guard. 9:40 when asked about Newsom daring Homan to arrest him, said he 'would do it if I were Tom—I think it's great,' claiming Newsom is 'grossly incompetent.' Earlier on Monday, Homan told Fox News that while 'no one's above the law,' there was 'no discussion' about arresting Newsom. 9:40 a.m. EDTWaymo removed vehicles from the downtown Los Angeles area and suspended service 'out of an abundance of caution' following guidance from the Los Angeles Police Department, though the robotaxi firm noted it was still operating in the greater Los Angeles region. At least six Waymo vehicles set ablaze Sunday and the company was in touch with the Los Angeles Police Department for an investigation, Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli told Forbes, as law enforcement warned burning lithium-ion batteries used in the cars release toxic gases, posing possible health risks, and to avoid the area. 8:54 a.m. EDTNewsom signaled he would sue Trump over his decision to send the National Guard into the state, alleging Trump 'flamed the fires and illegally acted.' 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Earlier in the evening, Newsom said he had made a formal request to the White House to 'rescind their unlawful deployment of troops in Los Angeles county and return them to my command,' The governor said: 'This is a serious breach of state sovereignty — inflaming tensions while pulling resources from where they're actually needed.' 4 p.m. EDTWhen asked by reporters whether he would invoke the Insurrection Act, the law that gives presidents the authority to deploy the military domestically, Trump said, 'Depends on whether or not there's an insurrection,' adding he does not think the Los Angeles protests are an insurrection, though he said there are 'violent people, and we're not going to let them get away with it.' Trump said he called Newsom and told him he had to 'take care' of the protests, otherwise he would 'send in the troops,' and he told a reporter who asked whether California officials who obstruct deportations would face federal charges: 'If officials stand in the way of law and order, yeah, they will face charges.' 1:30 p.m. EDTAbout 300 members of the National Guard have been stationed across Los Angeles so far, The New York Times reported, the first soldiers as part of the 2,000 Trump has promised to station across the city as more protests are expected to take place this afternoon. 1 p.m. EDTLos Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told the Los Angeles Times said she tried to talk to the Trump administration to 'tell them that there was absolutely no need to have troops on the ground here in Los Angeles,' stating the protests on Saturday were 'relatively minor' and 'peaceful,' with about 100 protesters. 3:22 a.m. EDTBass appeared to rebuff Trump's claim the National Guard did a 'great job' in the city, stating in a post on X that the National Guard had not yet been deployed at that time in Los Angeles, while praising Newsom and local law enforcement. 2:41 said in a late-night Truth Social post the National Guard did a 'great job' in Los Angeles, while slamming Newsom and Bass and the 'Radical Left' protesters and stating protesters will no longer be allowed to wear masks: 'What do these people have to hide, and why???' 12:14 slammed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for 'threatening to deploy active-duty Marines on American soil against its own citizens' as 'deranged behavior.' June 7The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it had arrested two people Saturday evening for alleged assault on a police officer, stating multiple officers had been injured by a Molotov cocktail, the Los Angeles Times reported. 10:34 exhibited 'violent behavior' toward federal agents and local law enforcement, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement, while clarifying it is not involved in federal law enforcement response and is instead focused on crowd and traffic control. 10:22 a post on X, Newsom said the federal government is taking over the California National Guard and deploying soldiers in Los Angeles solely to create a 'spectacle.' 10:06 announced in a post on X the Department of Defense is 'mobilizing the National Guard IMMEDIATELY to support federal law enforcement in Los Angeles,' stating Marines are standing by for deployment in case of violence. 9:17 House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Trump would deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles to address 'lawlessness,' citing protests targeting immigration officers. Similar protests have spread to other cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Seattle, Boston, Santa Ana, California, and parts of Texas, including Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin. At least 80 protesters were arrested in New York, while 15 were arrested in Philadelphia, more than a dozen were arrested in Austin and one was detained in Dallas. At least two police officers were injured during protests in Philadelphia. Los Angeles Metro Police officers stand on the road in front of city hall Tuesday night. People take part in an anti-ICE protest in New York City on Tuesday. Protesters walk by the Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago on Tuesday. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday. Protests broke out Friday and Saturday in Paramount and Compton, cities adjacent to Los Angeles, over immigration raids conducted by ICE, during which the agency detained 44 immigrants Friday and 118 immigrants Saturday, the Associated Press reported. Police and protesters clashed over the weekend, according to local reports and videos on social media, with law enforcement using tear gas and flash grenades to break up the crowds while some protesters threw rocks and lit vehicles on fire. Glendale, California, announced Sunday the city had terminated an agreement with Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allowed the agencies to house federal detainees at the city's police facility. Glendale officials said the move was 'a local decision and was not made lightly,' as the city 'recognizes that public perception of the ICE contract—no matter how limited or carefully managed, no matter the good—has become divisive.' Glendale's city manager opted to end the contract after 'careful evaluation of legal, operational and community considerations,' the city said, noting the decision was not 'politically driven.' Trump reportedly said in a memo he is invoking Title 10 of the U.S. Code on Armed Services, which allows the federal government to deploy the National Guard if the United States is 'invaded or is in danger of invasion by a foreign nation,' or if there is a 'rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.' Vice President JD Vance said in a post on X on Saturday night the influx of immigrants, which he called 'Biden's border crisis,' amounts to an 'invasion,' rebuffing critics who have questioned whether Trump had the authority to deploy troops. Trump's move has faced some pushback from constitutional scholars. 'For the federal government to take over the California National Guard, without the request of the governor, to put down protests is truly chilling,' Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California Berkeley School of Law, told the Los Angeles Times. The legal issues raised by Trump sending the National Guard to L.A. (Los Angeles Times)

LA curfew for ICE protests curbs violence overnight as Trump and Newsom clash continues
LA curfew for ICE protests curbs violence overnight as Trump and Newsom clash continues

CBS News

time17 minutes ago

  • CBS News

LA curfew for ICE protests curbs violence overnight as Trump and Newsom clash continues

Mayor Karen Bass said she hopes the first night of the downtown Los Angeles curfew can serve as an example, as tensions simmered Tuesday night while immigration enforcement officers and a military presence remain in place following a weekend of intense protests. "There was no looting, there was no violence, there was no vandalism," Bass told CBS News Los Angeles during an interview Wednesday morning. "So what I am hoping, after [Tuesday night], is that people understand that we are very serious about the curfew." The curfew was instated on Tuesday after days of protests against a string of immigration enforcement operations throughout Southern California. Bass said the curfew will be enacted daily until it's no longer deemed necessary. Between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each day, access is restricted downtown from the 5 Freeway to the 110 Freeway and from the 10 Freeway to where the 110 Freeway and 5 Freeway merge. The restricted area covers about one of the 502 square miles in the city of L.A. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: Police officers mobilize to enforce a curfew after it went into effect during a protest against ICE raids on June 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Tensions in the city remain high after the Trump administration called in the National Guard against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and city leaders. Earlier today, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass enacted a curfew from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m., saying it was "to stop the vandalism, to stop the looting." / Getty Images In Bass's view, the curfew is more of a deterrent to those looking to commit violence or vandalism than the deployment of the National Guard. In recent days, Mr. Trump deployed 2,000 troops with the National Guard and 700 U.S. Marines to L.A. after testy protests over the weekend in downtown L.A. and the cities of Paramount and Compton. During those events, clashes between the L.A. Police Department and civilians were prominent, with officers oftentimes using non-lethal uses of force like tear gas and rubber bullets. Similar events continued downtown on Sunday, which Bass believes was brought on by Trump's decision. "I'm just perplexed to know what he is going to do with troops here that are not needed and the Marines," Bass said. "As far as I'm concerned, it is a provocative measure. I think it will contribute to disorder." Bass then reiterated that "disorder" in the city has been mostly limited to about five streets in downtown L.A. While speaking to CBS News Los Angeles, she implied that she believes there may be an ulterior motive to the deployment, other than safety measures. "I feel like we're a laboratory for an experiment that they're testing out in our city," Bass said. A power struggle ensues Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke to Californians on Tuesday night in a statewide address, where he challenged Mr. Trump's authority to deploy military forces to the streets of L.A. "Trump, without consulting California leaders, commandeered 2,000 of our state's National Guard members to deploy on our streets illegally and for no reason," Newsom said. "This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president enflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk." Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide address on Tuesday evening, where he spoke out against President Trump's decision to send the National Guard and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles. Office of Gavin Newsom Newsom filed a lawsuit against Mr. Trump on Monday, asking a judge to "prevent the use of federalized National Guard and active duty Marines for law enforcement purposes on the streets of a civilian city." On Tuesday, a judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order and instead scheduled a court hearing for Thursday, giving Mr. Trump's legal team time to respond. Mr. Trump has defended the decision to send military forces to L.A. by citing "incompetence" in local and state leaders, namely Bass and Newsom. In a post to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday morning, Mr. Trump said, "The INCOMPETENT Governor of California was unable to provide protection in a timely manner when our ICE Officers, GREAT Patriots they are, were attacked by an out of control mob of agitators, troublemakers, and/or insurrectionists. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" In another post on Wednesday morning, Mr. Trump claimed that L.A. would be "burning to the ground right now, just like so much of their housing," referencing devastating wildfires that burned thousands of structures in Los Angeles and Altadena earlier this year. Newsom, in his address Tuesday, claimed that the "downward spiral" began after Mr. Trump sent in the National Guard, refuting the president's opinion that the military presence has prevented violence. The governor endorsed the prosecution of individuals who become violent during demonstrations. On Wednesday, federal prosecutors brought charges against two L.A. County men who allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement during protests on Saturday and Sunday. ICE operations continue During the White House press briefing on Wednesday morning, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that 330 undocumented immigrants have been arrested in the Los Angeles area since June 6. 113 of those have prior criminal convictions, she claims. CBS News Los Angeles reached out to ICE on Wednesday to verify those claims. ICE redirected CBS News Los Angeles to the White House for verification. During her appearance on KCAL News Mornings on Wednesday, Bass said she believes that the overwhelming majority of those detained and arrested do not have a criminal record. She said ICE operations have continued throughout the week. On Saturday, Democratic U.S. Rep. Nanette Barragán, who represents parts of L.A.'s South Bay, told CBS News that ICE enforcement and removal operations are expected daily for the next 30 days in L.A. County. More demonstrations Tuesday's demonstrations appeared to be much smaller than those on previous days. Protesters briefly entered the southbound lanes of the 101 Freeway near downtown, but officers with the California Highway Patrol were quick to form skirmish lines. In a news release, the LAPD said hundreds were arrested on Tuesday night for various reasons. 203 people were arrested on suspicion of failure to disperse, police said, while 17 were arrested for curfew violations. There were three additional arrests for possession of a firearm, one for assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and one for discharging a laser at an LAPD airship. On Wednesday morning, more small gatherings appeared outside the Federal Building downtown, although they appeared to be peaceful.

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