KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.
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Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has slashed $300 million in statewide funding through recent budget vetoes, including $1 million that was designated for the Kansas City Public Library's Bluford Branch expansion project.
The governor said the cuts were a part of his "constitutional obligation to balance the budget."
The $1 million cut from the Kansas City Public Library was allocated for "DESE program 2.327" and would have covered planning costs for a new, larger facility for the library's Bluford Branch.
"The $1 million vetoed from the Missouri budget was intended to cover planning costs, such as facility design and community outreach, to support a new, larger facility for the Kansas City Public Library's Bluford Branch," said Abby Yellman, library director and chief executive.
Yellman continued, "As a result of the veto, KCPL will need to rely more heavily on foundations and the community for funding. Library leadership is grateful to the state legislators who supported the project and confident that the governor and state legislators will reevaluate and support the project at a future date."
Yellman said the Bluford Branch serves as a vital community resource, welcoming nearly 1,000 people daily and maintaining the second-highest public computer usage among all KCPL locations.
"The Bluford Branch is an indispensable community asset that provides essential resources around literacy, digital inclusion, workforce development, and wellness," Yellman said. "Expanding the Bluford Branch is a vital project for the Library — a new, larger, and visionary facility is needed to better meet community needs and help the area continue to grow and thrive."
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