History Hit Badly by Proposed Budget Cuts in Florida and New Jersey

Perspectives Online
The Newsmagazine of the American Historical Association

Confronted by enormous gaps between projected tax revenues and budgetary needs, some state governments are hitting history budgets while taking drastic action to solve their financial woes

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In two states—New Jersey and Florida—history and archives are the latest victims of budget cuts. In Florida, Republican Governor Jeb Bush also proposes a simplistic solution to the budget plight—close the Florida State Library, turn over the Florida State Archives to the parks department, and lay off more than 50 employees.

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Also threatened are the contested election ballots from the 2000 presidential election; they face destruction through legislative inaction.

The Florida presidential ballots and other nationally significant 2000 election materials are under the supervision of the Florida Division of Library and Information Services, one of the agencies slotted to be abolished by the governor. Readers may recall that last year state archivist James Berberich extended the disposition deadline for the contested ballots to July 2003 in order to give the state legislature time to address the disposition issue (see "Florida Ballot Controversy—The Future of Ballots Still in Limbo" NCC WASHINGTON UPDATE—8:26, 27 June 2002). The next session of the legislature is scheduled to begin March 4, 2003, and will probably continue through May 2, 2003. According to a state spokesperson, officials are working on a policy recommendation that will be advanced next month to the legislature for its consideration. Unless the state legislature acts by July 1, 2003, there is nothing to stop the destruction of the ballots—probably among the most important election records in the history of the nation. A coalition comprised of the Florida Historical Society, Florida Archeological Council, Florida Anthropological Society, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Florida Association of Museums has been created to counter the governor's plans.

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