▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁fund ing ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁economic ▁dow nt urn , ▁Library ▁Director ▁Jeff ▁W ink le ▁expected ▁the ▁total ▁decrease ▁in ▁fund ing ▁to ▁be ▁around ▁$ 7 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁per ▁year . ▁ ▁The ▁Library ▁Board ▁react ed ▁immediately ▁to ▁the ▁expected ▁budget ▁cut s ▁by ▁reducing ▁library ▁hours , ▁number ▁of ▁staff , ▁staff ▁benefits , ▁and ▁materials . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁rec oup ▁the ▁lost ▁fund ing , ▁the ▁Library ▁Board ▁decided ▁to ▁request ▁the ▁inclusion ▁of ▁a ▁$ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁le vy ▁on ▁the ▁next ▁ball ot , ▁which ▁would ▁gar ner ▁approximately ▁$ 7 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁added ▁re venue ▁per ▁year ▁and ▁allow ▁the ▁library ▁to ▁re inst ate ▁the ▁previous ▁library ▁hours ▁and ▁staff ing ▁levels . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁uncertain ▁whether ▁the ▁le vy ▁– ▁cost ing ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁a ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁home ▁about ▁$ 1 6 ▁per ▁year ▁- ▁would ▁be ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁community . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁a ▁month ▁before ▁the ▁county ▁was ▁to ▁vote ▁on ▁the ▁le vy , ▁a ▁ple a ▁for ▁library ▁support ▁was ▁printed ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁paper : ▁ ▁“ For ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁its ▁ 1 2 0 ▁years ▁of ▁serving ▁the ▁community , ▁the ▁Find lay - H an cock ▁County ▁Public ▁Library ▁needs ▁our ▁help … We ▁ur ge ▁vot ers