The following is am open letter written by Virginia Shadron, chairperson of the Friends of Georgia Archives & History:
An open letter from FOGAH Chair, Virginia Shadron:
The Fiscal Year 2012 budget that passed the Georgia House of Representatives on March 11 as HB 78 includes budget reductions that could result in the [Georgia] State Archives closing its doors to the public.
The budget contains two items that together would reduce the Archives’ budget by at least $300,000.
The Archives’ base budget, after preceding budget cuts, is $4,643,588. Over 65% of that goes to pay fixed costs (such as rent) that cannot be reduced. The current bill proposes an additional cut in “personal services and … savings from reduced hours …” in the amount of $260,458. The second way in which the Archives’ budget is eroded is that the House budget does not fund the annual increase in the Archives’ rent, an amount of more than $40,000 for FY12.
Altogether, the additional cuts to personal services and the failure to fund the rent increase means that the Archives’ sustains a critical $300,000 in cuts. You might wonder, “What is the fuss about?” That shortfall can come from one place only—and that is staff.
Without intervention the Archives will almost certainly be forced to close its doors to the public, reduce scanning operations and preservation activities, and eliminate most transfers of records from state agencies—the records that protect Georgia financially and legally.
The House version of the budget now goes to the Senate for adjustment and passage. Call and write your state senator immediately and ask that a minimum of $300,000 be restored to the Archives budget! Go to http://www.legis.ga.gov and click on “Find Your Legislator” to find your senator.
– Virginia Shadron
Thanks to Michael Hait for making us aware of the situation in Georgia.
Read the letter and more at the Friends of Georgia Archives & History Website.
