Sequestration Cuts Mean Reductions at MLK Historic Site

The sequestration cuts, $85 million in federal budget cuts which kicked in on March 1, meant less tours and no more student workers for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site.

The site's superintendent Judy Forte told Patch this week, "Right now we're able to provide minimum service."

The site has seen a reduction in tours given to the public. On average, the site offers 15 tours a day of King's birth home, but those have been reduced to 10 per day as a response to a current hiring freeze, which was in place before the sequester cuts.

Forte said the site has been unable to fill critical positions, such as a communications manager/public information officer position and two law enforcement positions.

However, with these additional cuts which meant a 5 percent budget reduction for the site, the restrooms throughout the site aren't cleaned as often because of the cuts in staff. The site had to reduce the amount of student workers it employed as well, Forte said.

Forte said the best outcome would be "an improved budget with the amount appropriated to maintain the level of service that the public expects" from the historical site.

She advises that visitors coming to spend time at the site come as early as possible because tours of King's birth home are limited and are first-come, first-served.