SARATOGA SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY

YOUR SOURCE FOR INFORMATION, INSPIRATION, AND ENTERTAINMENT

49 Henry Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-3271 (518) 584-7860 Fax: (518) 584-7866 www.sspl.org

The 2013 Library Budget and Trustee Vote Questions & Answers
When will the library vote be held? The vote will be held on Thursday, April 18th, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the librarys H. Dutcher Community Room. At 7 p.m. on April 15th, there will be a public hearing on the proposed budget and an opportunity to meet library Trustee candidates Cheryl Gold and Dorothy Hill, also in the H. Dutcher Community Room. Who can vote? Any school district resident who is a registered voter is eligible to vote. A voter registration opportunity will be held in the library on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for those who have not yet registered. Please call Marjorie Johnson at 584-7860 ext. 253 for information about absentee ballots. What are we voting for? Budget: The public will be voting on a proposition to collect $4,954,215 in school district property taxes in Fiscal Year 2013-2014 to operate the Saratoga Springs Public Library. This is the same amount approved for FY2012-13 with a 0% increase in total expenditures. Trustee: Cheryl Gold and Dorothy Dede Hill are running to fill a vacancy on the librarys board created by Cheryl Golds expiring term. What happens if the budget doesnt pass? Unlike public school budgets, the law does not allow for any changes if the budget is defeated, and unless the library board decides to hold a second budget vote (highly unlikely), the library would still receive the same amount appropriated in FY 2012-2013. Although a vote is not legally required for a zero-growth budget, and the proposed budget is based on community input gathered during a strategic planning process, the librarys Board and Administration want to be certain that citizens have the opportunity to weigh in on the budget proposal. Should the proposed budget not pass, the library board will reconsider how the funds are allocated. What will be happening in the coming year? Despite the fact that in 2012, library use once again reached record levels, with circulation topping 946,000 items borrowed (an 8% increase over 2011) library administration and the Board of Trustees were committed to creating a zero-growth budget for FY2013-14. The proposed budget will not only allow us to continue to meet the growing demand for library services, but will also allow us to make improvements to the Teen Room and other service areas, to begin preventative improvements to our HVAC infrastructure, and to focus on service priorities identified during our current long-range planning process. Impact on Taxes: Because the budget remains the same as in the previous fiscal year, no change in tax impact is anticipated.

More questions? Contact A. Issac Pulver, Library Director at 584-7860