BUFFALO, N.Y. — New York State Senator Sean Ryan is pushing back against proposed library funding cuts in the governor's budget proposal.
Ryan, who chairs the senate's library committee, was at Buffalo's Crane Branch library, which is getting some major renovations right now thanks to state library construction aid.
But he says the governor's proposal cuts that aid by $20 million, which means fewer projects that he says boost local economies.
"The construction aid puts people to work," Ryan said. "It's fast money. There's deadlines when you have to spend it, so you give the money to the library systems, and there's a timeline of when the project must be completed. So you see here at Crane Library, we're putting people to work and when the work is done, the community gets a great library."
That proposal will be one of many things hashed out in negotiations for the budget, which is due April 1.
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