Walnut Creek May Cut Library Funding

WALNUT CREEK, CA — The City of Walnut Creek has a gaping budget hole because of coronavirus revenue losses, and library funding may be one way to help fill-in the hole.

The Contra Costa County Library System pays for 35 hours per week for each library to be open. If cities want longer hours and more days open, they can chip-in the money.

Here in Walnut Creek, the city pays for 21 extra hours a week at each of the city's two libraries. That costs the city about $567,000 a year, said City Manager Dan Buckshi. An initial proposal, yet to be discussed at the city council, would see half of that extra-hours funding cut.

In a city facing a $12 million general fund shortfall for 2019-2020, "We're looking at everything" for 2020-2021, Buckshi said.

— Patch editor Bea Karnes and Bay City News contributed to this story

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