Politics & Government

Cobb Residents Protest to Save 13 Libraries

Cobb residents read books during at silent protest this afternoon.

MARIETTA - Amidst the Cobb County budget battle, 13 of 17 libraries are on the chopping block. The 13 libraries could close indefinitely beginning May 1, with only the Central, Mountain View, South Cobb, and West Cobb Libraries will remaining open.

The Vinings Library and the would be among those closed. 

Residents joined forces Monday afternoon in a silent protest at Marietta Square to send a message loud and clear, "save our libraries."

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County leaders are searching for ways to make up a budget shortfall of almost $32 million. Residents want libraries off the list.

"We need these libraries to stay open," said Sarah Waiters, protest organizer. "The libraries provide so much - educational programs for kids and so much more."

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Protesters from Austell, Northeast Cobb, East Cobb and across the county gathered at Marietta Square to participate in the protest. Many learned of the protest from online posts by the "Save Cobb Libraries" Facebook page.

The county's also considering closing three senior centers and two pools and cutting every department's budget by 3.5 percent.

Cobb County Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the budget on Tuesday morning. 

The proposed budget would run through September 2011.

It includes a .5 millage rate increase for the county's fire fund, equaling a $40 tax increase for a home valued at $200,000.

If you'd like to prevent the closing of Cobb County Libraries, plan to attend the Commissioner Board meeting Tuesday at 9 a.m.

You can send an email supporting the libraries to budgetcomments@cobbcounty.org, or to your district's commissioner:

Tim Lee
770-528-3305
tlee@cobbcounty.org
 
Joann Birrell
770-528-3317
joann.birrell@cobbcounty.org
 
Bob Ott
770-528-3316
bob.ott@cobbcounty.org
 
David Hankerson
770-528-2612
dhankerson@cobbcounty.org
 
G. Woody Thompson, Jr.
770-528-3311
woody.thompson@cobbcounty.org
 
Helen Goreham
770-528-3313
hgoreham@cobbcounty.org


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