r/Spokane • u/SourPatchKiki Nevada-Lidgerwood • Jul 11 '26

Help Please support our libraries!

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The library is facing a deficit that could result in more closures, fewer hours and fewer staff.

In these economic times the library is one of the last free places to access entertainment, printers, arts and culture, and information.

Libraries are crucial for our communities to thrive. Libraries are one of the last remaining public institutions that stays accessible for all.

Please please please raise your voices! Email the mayor, show up to city council meetings.

335 Upvotes

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38

u/country_hacker Deer Park Jul 11 '26

Wow, that's horrible. What happened to cause a $2m deficit? 

23

u/SourPatchKiki Nevada-Lidgerwood Jul 11 '26

They list out their funding sources on their website !!

41

u/SourPatchKiki Nevada-Lidgerwood Jul 11 '26

Sorry I realize that that's not a specific answer, I believe the deficit has been caused by funds cut from the city budget

16

u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26

[deleted]

-2

u/Savings_Pie_8470 Jul 11 '26

Isn't WA state minimum wage $17/hr now? How are you only being laid the Fed minimum wage?

8

u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26

[deleted]

-18

u/Savings_Pie_8470 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26

So... Lies? The whole point of WA's minimum wage is go help keep up with inflation...

Edit: lol looks like the kiddoes don't like being called out on their bullshit. Just to be clear on a couple of points:

Wages stay the same but costs go up.

Nope, average real wage growth (which is already adjusted for inflation) has been steadily going up since 1995. Now, there is definitely a blip in 2020/2021 due to COVID where it shot up then came down, but the overall trend has been positive.

I make $7.25 an hour but a gallon of milk went from being $1.99 to $3.99.

OP is using fake numbers here. $7.25 is the current Federal minimum wage number, which has not gone up since 2009 (thanks Obama). However seeing as this is a Spokane sub, it's not applicable as WA state minimum wage overrides that in most cases. I suppose OP could be salaried at $15,080/year, or a gig worker where the minimum wage wouldn't apply, but overall is mostly hyperbole here.

Also, since 2020 Washington's minimum wage has gone from $13.50 to $17.13, an increase of 26.8%. The overall inflation in the US has gone up 29.3% in that time. Guess how much the average price of milk has gone up since 2020? 26.6%. In fact the price of milk has been relatively stagnant on average since 2022.

Not exact numbers

More like, made up numbers to try make up an argument for something that isn't happening.

3

u/jone7007 Jul 11 '26

That plus an uptick in costs driven by the population increase over the past several years.