Financial Times FT.com

US states face tough decisions

By Aline van Duyn and Nicole Bullock in New York and Hal,Weitzman in Chicago

Published: July 3 2009 03:00 | Last updated: July 3 2009 03:00

Facing a $3.2bn budget deficit, Ohio's lawmakers could not reach a deal to balance the state's finances.

On the hit list are Ohio's libraries, which are facing more than $225m (€160m, £137m) in budget cuts over two years. With the majority of Ohio's 251 libraries entirely dependent on state funding, the prospect of such cuts - about 30 per cent of their total budget - is grim.

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