The Stephentown Library Legislative District Would Have Taxing Authority

by David Flint
The Stephentown Memorial Library held a public hearing on Thursday, February 21, regarding its proposal to convert the Library to a Special Legislative District (SLD) public library with taxing authority. Attendance was surprisingly low. In a town with about 3,000 inhabitants, only about 30 people attended. There were no comments in opposition to the proposal or expressions of any particular concern. Library Board President Sue Cass said that another public hearing would be held in early March, at the Town Hall instead of at the Library. This hearing has since been scheduled for Wednesday, March 13 at 7 pm at the Town Hall. The vote on this proposal is scheduled for March 19.
[private]At the Annual Meeting prior to the public hearing Board Members and Library Director Laurenne Teachout presented a summary of accomplishments in 2012. Some different uses of space include a new Kids Nook, a new Teen area for doing homework and an Early Literacy Station. Successful and popular programs included use of the Foundation Center for grant writing and job seeking, the Summer Reading and Feeding Programs, Summer Teen Program, Book Discussion Group and Early Literacy Story Time.
The financial report showed a very successful fund raising year. Fundraising income was budgeted at $27,000 but ended up at over $34,000 including $15,000 in response to the Annual Appeal. “An extraordinary show of support,” said Cass. The other half of the fundraising was largely the result of lot of time and effort on the part of the Friends group.
Leading up to presenting the proposal for the SLD, Cass spoke of the dilemma in the disparity between what it takes to keep up the Library’s facilities, programs and resources and what the Library can actually rely on taking in each year. “It’s hard to raise that kind of money in this community every year,” Cass said. “We did it and we’ve done it, but it’s no way to run a railroad.”
Although budgeted income and expenses for 2012 was $84,225, income was considerably more than expected and actual Library expenditures for 2012 amounted to $100,165, of which 41% was for personnel. If the SLD is approved by the voters, expenditures in the proposed budget for 2014 are projected to be $148,750, including $82,380 or 66% for personnel. The tax levy for this budget would be $125,000.
The Director’s hours would be increased from 22 hours to 35 hours and her salary increased by 50%. This, Cass said, would be in line with what other Directors with a master’s degree in Information Science are receiving at comparable libraries. Other staff compensation would go from $8.25 an hour to between $10 and $12. Funds for improving the Library’s collection, especially books, would increase by about 50%. Improvements or enhancements would also be made to internet speed, programs and scheduled building maintenance. Morning hours would be added and evening hours expanded. Costs for fundraising would decrease by 62%.
Cass estimated that if the $42,500 the Library currently gets from the Town is removed from the Town budget, and from the tax levy, the annual additional tax cost to a resident with a $150,000 home would be $61.22, “about the cost of one cup of coffee per week.”
Eight candidates submitted petitions and have been certified to run for seven Board seats on the proposed new Library Board. They are Sue Brissette Cass, Kristen Crouch, Janet Ivory, Pam Kueppers, Thom Pecoraro, Judith Pierson, Hazel Pomerantz and Thomas Quimby.
The Stephentown Memorial Library is what is known as an Association library. It is basically a private non-profit organization. Towns in New York State are authorized to contract with such libraries for services rendered to town residents. The town, in effect, makes a donation each year to the library. It is not obliged to do so, and the amount can and does change year by year at budget time. If the Stephentown Library becomes a Special Legislative District public library, residents will see a separate line on their tax bill that comes each January from the County. Taxpayers will vote each year to elect trustees for seats whose terms are up and also to approve the Library budget if any changes have been made from the previous year. According to Cass, the Association library is a peculiar arrangement that is known for the most part only in New England and New York. Most of the rest of the country has public libraries funded by the municipality or county.
How Other Area Libraries Compare
All of the libraries in the Eastwick area are Association libraries except for the Petersburgh Public Library. In Petersburgh the Town owns the library, the Town Board approves a budget submitted by the Library Board and pays most of the bills from Town taxes. In Rensselaer County there are currently only three Special Legislative District public libraries, East Greenbush, North Greenbush and Troy.
The libraries in the Eastwick area are diverse in their funding. New Lebanon has the highest budget and currently receives by far the most in dollars and, except for Petersburgh, the most percentage-wise as well. Although the New Lebanon Library is an Association library, they receive their funding from the Town through Chapter 414, which allows for a library to place a proposition on the ballot to let taxpayers have a say in how much a municipality will spend on library services. According to Library Director Jeannie Bogino, funding was approved through ballot initiatives introduced in 2002 and again in 2007.
The Berlin Library has always been largely funded through substantial endowments. The Grafton Library has the smallest budget but receives a sizeable percentage of that from the Town.
Population         Budget           From Town         Per Capita              %
Cheney – Hoosick – Hoosick Falls              6,924           $83,000          $45,000               $6.50                     54%
Grafton Community                                     2,130            $37,086          $28,600               $13.43                    77%
Petersburgh Public                                       1,525             $54,983          $52,202               $34.23                    95%
Berlin Free Town                                          1,880            $56,058          $7,500                 $3.99                       13%
Stephentown Memorial                              2,903            $84,225           $42,500              $14.64                     50%
New Lebanon                                                2,305            $165,000         $135,000            $58.57                     82%
Stephentown as SLD                                   2,903            $148,750          $125,000            $43.06                    84%
National Numbers
A national, random sample telephone survey of 1,003 American adults conducted by KRC Research and Consulting in 2006 revealed that two-thirds of adult Americans visited their public library last year. More than 85% felt that public libraries deserve more funding. More than half (52%) believed that support for public libraries should be $41 per capita in local tax support, although the national average is around $25. Two-thirds put the benefits of libraries at the top of the list of public services as compared to schools, roads and parks.[/private]