Deputy Speaker Williams questions OMB on library capital funding and PICA costs

Okay.

And with that, I'm going to move on to Deputy Speaker Williams.

Thank you.

Just going back to libraries, given the substantial backlog of capital needs across three library systems, including aging facilities, HVAC, and roof repairs, ADA upgrades, and other state of good repair,

projects, how did OMB determine the level of capital funding included in this year's exec plan and how much capital needs remain unfunded?

Yeah, so I think, Deputy Speaker, this was an, you know, we had to look at this in terms of available capital funding.

That we had the submissions from the libraries in terms of what they were looking

I think what we tried to do here was to say $50 million that's spread over one project for each of the library systems, understanding that moving forward in the next few weeks, we'll have a discussion about

potentially additional investment.

Based on the overall funding envelope that we have.

Okay, and another issue that the library systems raised was the PICA program.

So we know it was negotiated as a mandatory city health benefit.

Obviously, it's an unfunded mandate, and so the library systems have to pick up the cost.

So we just wanted to understand why these costs went unfunded.

And why do the independent library systems have to absorb the cost?

Sure.

We're looking at the numbers now with our team, and we'll be able to communicate soon about the parity funding that comes out of the health funding piece.

Okay, thank you.

Obviously, we all want individuals to have access to all the things that PICA comes with, but it does feel like an unfunded mandate for them to have to absorb that cost.

Thankful for the baseline funding, but this, of course, creates additional needs for the library systems.