No Tax Increase for 2010-11 Library Budget

If the Glen Cove Public Library's proposed $2.6 million 2010-11 budget is given the OK by voters next week, residents in the city will see some tax relief next year. 

Although the budget proposes a $72,000 hike in spending from the current year, the plan calls for no increase in property taxes next year. As a result, the library is asking taxpayers to collectively pitch in an estimated $2.5 million next year, the same amount as the current year.

Antonia Petrash, the library's director, explained that the Board of Trustees chose to transfer $72,000 from the library's surplus fund balance to cover next year's budget increase. The budget also lists a little more than $40,000 in fines and rentals, grants and interest, among other things, as part of its revenue sources for next year.

"We are not asking for any tax increase for next year even though we are increasing our budget," Petrash said, adding that the board has worked on the budget since January. "We are using money from our fund balance for the increase, so there will be no budget to budget increase in tax revenue for the next fiscal year." 

An estimated $1.9 million in the budget is alloted for salary/personnel and employee benefits costs. In total, these two line items make up a little more than 72 percent of next's year spending plan. Just like most state institutions, library trustees said, the library is required to pay for contractual salary increases as well as hikes in state personnel mandates such as retirement benefits. 

The second biggest budget expenditure is miscellaneous costs such as office and library supplies and consultant fees at a little more than $230,000 or 9 percent. The library materials line item rounds out the top three highest budget expenses for next year at $222,000 or 8.38 percent. 

"Retirement and healthcare is going up and these are the mandated expenses that we have no control over," Petrash said. "However, we do have control over things that we purchase like the book budgets and we try very hard to conserve those dollars as much as we can." 

The library also plans to move forward with capital projects by using roughly $135,000, or 5.09 percent, of the proposed budget. Library officials are aiming to refurbish staffing areas and install more outside seating with the funds.

Petrash said the proposed spending plan will also allow the library to continue its educational and recreational programs next year. Library officials are currently advancing efforts to collaborate with nearby libraries such as Locust Valley and Sea Cliff for programs as another way to decrease expenditures. 

"We're very committed to joining with other libraries in the area for programs," Petrash said. "It both saves money and makes programs available to a wide-range of patrons." 

The library budget vote and trustee election is scheduled for April 13 in the library's community room from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Resident Toni Ann Kessel is running unopposed for another five-year term as a trustee on the library board. 

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