FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 7, 2003

Contact: Christal Karnaze 202/387-8030 or 703-615-5763

Leonard Minsky 202/387-0172

NADER COMMENDS CITY COUNCIL FOR SAVING LIBRARY FUNDING

WASHINGTON, DC - Ralph Nader today commended council member Kevin Chavous and his Committee on Education, Libraries and Parks and Recreation, as well as the entire city council for blocking $1 million in proposed cuts and adding an additional $500,000 to the Library's operating budget.

"The rejection of Mayor Anthony Williams' reckless cuts of funding for the library facilities is a bright ray of hope for library proponents. But it will mean little in the end unless citizens are willing to continue to put time, energy and political muscle into restoring the library system as a key resource for the District of Columbia," Nader said. "Until actual improvements are installed and adequate funding is in place, there should be no victory celebrations."

The $1 million cut proposed by Mayor Williams was offset through the efforts of council member Kathy Patterson, chair of the Committee of the Judiciary who transferred $1 million to the Library and council member Vincent Orange, chair of the Committee on Government Operations who agreed to transfer $500,000 at the April 15 budget mark-up meeting. Yesterday following a full vote of the council the transfers were approved and the Library will realize a net gain of $500,000 over last year's operating budget. This action follows years of relentless declines in staff and comparative budget levels from the l970s.

"Thanks to the leadership of council member Kevin Chavous, who pronounced the Mayor's budget proposald 'dead on arrival', the city council responded to the concerns of library supporters from across the District," added Nader. "We acknowledge and appreciate the valiant effort of the city council to stave off additional cuts and indeed add desperately needed funds to the library's operating budget. However this is just the beginning of a long battle to ensure that the city government continues to place a top priority on this essential service to it's citizens."

Nader established the DC Library Renaissance Project in December 2002 to help raise awareness of the steady decline of the DC Library System through systematic budget cuts. In short time the project has organized a grass-roots campaign, as evidenced by the record citizen turnout at the March 20 library budget hearing, to mobilize library supporters and create a greater awareness of the budget crisis facing the DC Public Library System. For further information regarding the DC Library Renaissance Project please visit www.savedclibraries.org.