[Tasl] Words of wisdom from Doug Johnson

[Nancy Dickinson]

I saw this posting on lm_net and thought it should be posted on TASL's
listserv. While it sounds like Minnesota is in much worse shape than
Tennessee, the news this week about our budget got my attention. It's
only natural that sales tax collections are going to be down for quite
some time, as well as property tax collections for foreclosed houses.
So look at Doug's advice for what you can do to secure your position
and your library's budget... (And substitute TASL for MEMO)
Nancy


---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Budget cuts are coming!
From:    "Doug Johnson" <doug0077 at gmail.com>
Date:    Sat, December 6, 2008 9:25 am
To:      LM_NET at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I just posted this to our state library/tech Ning...

__________________________________________

Hi folks,

   I hate to sound like the voice of gloom and doom, but I am very worried
about the economic news over the past week. With the state of Minnesota
expecting a record budget deficit of over 5 billion dollars, it looks
highly, highly unlikely that schools will receive any funding increases
for next year, if not during the next biennium. And since inflation
(health insurance, heating, SpEd services, etc,) continues to rise, budget
cuts are in store for most districts.

   OK, people, NOW is the time to start strategizing the ways to minimize
the impact of budget reductions on your library/tech programs. Once
administration makes its recommendations to the school board, it will be
waaaaay too late to do much.

   I've listed some ideas about what you can do in the document "When Your
Job is on the Line". <http://tinyurl.com/5jwgpm>

   Don't rely on MEMO or AASL to save your program! This is something only
you can do.

   Share any strategies you have for minimizing the impact of budget cuts
here.

   Doug

__________________________________________

With 41 of the 50 U.S. states* projecting budget deficits for next year
and with the entire world suffering economic woes, I thought this might be
of use to more than just us Gophers.

Blue Skunk readers, what will you be doing to survive the budget axe?

Doug


Doug Johnson
Director of Media and Technology
Mankato Area Public Schools
Box 8713, 1351 S Riverfront Dr.
Mankato MN 56001-8714
Phone: 507-387-7698 x 473
E-mail: doug0077 at gmail.com
Web: www.doug-johnson.com
Blue Skunk Blog: http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/

The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the
one that sings. - Wendell Berry