House threatens Hub with $3m cut

The threat to reduce city aid, which passed as part of a series of amendments to the next fiscal year’s budget, includes about $2.4 million that would go to the Boston Public Library. The measures stipulate that the city would have to keep open all of its 26 branches to receive the money.

“It has become clear to us that our constituents’ voices haven’t been listened to in the library closing process,’’ said Representative Michael Moran, a Brighton Democrat who has led a group of Boston lawmakers in fighting the library closures. “We’re trying to provide that voice that has been missing thus far in the process.’’

Moran and others from the Boston delegation said their goal is to keep each branch open until the economy improves or expanded gambling, which lawmakers are debating, adds money to the state’s coffers.

The proposals to withhold state aid were included in three of the 869 amendments the House debated before approving a $27.8 billion budget last night. The library measures would still have to pass the Senate and be included in the budget signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick to take effect. The next fiscal year begins July 1.

Over the past two years, the state has cut aid to the Boston Public Library by 73 percent, from $8.9 million to a proposed $2.4 million next fiscal year. To cope with the cuts, the library’s Board of Trustees voted this month to shutter four branches and lay off up to 77 people.

Library officials said the actions by the House would only exacerbate an already difficult decision.

If the changes take effect, they said, the city could have to cut up to another 31 positions; reduce hours at the main library in Copley Square; slash purchases of new books, DVDs, and other materials; and halt the practice of letting customers borrow materials that have to be transferred from other branches.

“We understand the attachment people have to their local branch libraries, but if this bill progresses, the Boston Public Library will have a further reduction in resources,’’ said Gina Perille, a spokeswoman for the Boston Public Library. “As a result, we’ll have even more difficult decisions to make.’’

Earlier this month, Amy E. Ryan, Boston Public Library president, wrote a letter to lawmakers, saying the current system is no longer sustainable.

“Propping up the status quo in this changing world is not working for today’s services or into the future,’’ Ryan wrote. “Instead, our budget decisions have positioned the Boston Public Library for financial stability and sustainability long into the future.’’

But the lawmakers say they wanted to express their own priorities.

“Life is full of choices, and the mayor has made a choice to fund some things in the city budget over the libraries,’’ said Representative Marty Walz, a Back Bay Democrat who was concerned about the cuts at the main library. “As Boston legislators, we’re making a different set of choices. Our choices are to maintain the staff at Copley and keep all 26 branch libraries open.’’

Library officials have said that closing four branches allows them to keep the remaining locations intact. The branches slated to be closed are Faneuil in Brighton, Lower Mills in Dorchester, Washington Village in South Boston, and Orient Heights in East Boston.

Yesterday’s budget passed, 132 to 25, after several long days of passionate debate about everything from local aid and libraries to the death penalty and the leadership of House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo. The budget plan does not, unlike Patrick’s proposal, increase taxes or draw from the state’s reserve account, House leaders said, instead relying on more than $1.4 billion in spending cuts.

“This budget efficiently and compassionately tackles the fiscal challenges facing the Commonwealth without including any new taxes,’’ DeLeo said in a statement.

House Republicans, including state Representative Karyn Polito of Shrewsbury, voted against the budget plan.

“I believe it is the product of poor policies and even poorer procedures,’’ Polito, who is running for treasurer, said in a statement. “At a time when our Commonwealth is facing serious challenges, the people of Massachusetts deserve a more thoughtful approach to the problems before us and better procedures to debate policy.’’

The debate now moves to the Senate, which plans to take up the budget later this month.

Material from State House News Service was used in this report.