Proposition 13 – America’s Second Great Tax Revolt: A Forty Year Struggle for Library Survival
Charles I. Guarria
Long Island University, USA
Charles I. Guarria
Long Island University, USA
Product Details
- Format:
- Hardback
- ISBN:
- 9781787690189
- Published:
- 06 Dec 2018
- Publisher:
- Emerald Publishing Limited
- Dimensions:
- 128 pages - 152 x 229mm
Categories:
In 1978, the citizens of California took the historic step of voting for
Proposition 13, thus reducing property taxes by 57%. Already known
as a trend setting state, California’s tax revolt was no different,
as similar tax revisions quickly spread across the United States of
America. In California, state and local governments struggled to find
a way to manage the loss in revenue. On many occasions budget
cuts were the solution. Library budgets were frequently the target of
those cuts.
Proposition 13 - America’s Second Great Tax Revolt details how
libraries prioritized, managed and reacted to hardships in this new
world, and have done so in California for the last forty years where
Proposition 13 is still the law. Library and information science
professionals were facing budget cuts that were as high as 65%
with little to no guarantee of what future budgets were to be. The
actions they took, and the rationale behind those actions, offer
significant lessons to be learned by the library community on both
an academic and practitioner level.
Exploring the intended and unintended consequences of
Proposition 13, this book provides an insightful understanding of
how to manage a library budget given a difficult funding situation. It
examines the thought processes behind government financing and
spending priorities, and considers how libraries can organize, and
participate in activism to influence decision makers.
Chapter 1. 1978-1980: In the Beginning
Chapter 2. 1980-1989: Transition and Uncertainty
Chapter 3. 1990-1999: In Like a Lion Out Like a Lamb
Chapter 4. 2000-2010: Good Times and Bad Times in California and Countrywide
Chapter 5. 2011-2016: Where Are We Now
Charles I. Guarria entered the library profession in 1998. He began his career working for Lehman Brothers in New York City, where he
was promoted to Assistant Vice President. In 2004, he joined Long
Island University as a library faculty member and is currently an
Associate Professor working in the Acquisitions Department. He has
published several journal articles on the topics of economics and
libraries and is a three-time winner of Emerald Group Publishing’s
Highly Commended Award. Charles currently resides in Long Island,
New York.