More Information

For more information about the library referendum, click on the links below.

Library Referendum Full Info

Library Referendum FAQ

Putnam Valley Library Tax Form 990 – 2018

Putnam Valley Library Financials Jan-Sept 2019

 


Statute §259 of State Education Law

The relevant statute regarding Library taxes is §259 of the State Education Laws, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/259.  Please note below the bolded sections; the Library is a “free association” library, not a school district library.

With a successful vote on Prop 1, the Trustees plan to ask the Town itemize on tax bills the portion of taxes going to the Library; it is at the Town’s discretion whether or not to do so.

The amount the Putnam Valley Library is asking for on this ballot proposition is still not adequate to fund the Library, but will provide a much-needed start. The elected Library trustees will continue to be good stewards of the tax funds provided, and future requests for increases will be done only when absolutely necessary. The law does not reference an increase or a decrease in budget ask, merely a change. Should voters believe the Putnam Valley Library Trustees requests are unwarranted, they may vote their opinions at the polls, the most democratic expression of voter intent.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/259

 

Section 259 Library taxes

Education (EDN)

1. a. Taxes, in addition to those otherwise authorized, may be voted for library purposes by any authority named in section two hundred fifty-five of this part and shall, unless otherwise directed by such vote, be considered as annual appropriations therefor until changed by further vote and shall be levied and collected yearly, or as directed, as are other general taxes. In the case of a school district the appropriation for library purposes shall be submitted to the voters of the district as proposed by the library board of trustees in a separate resolution and shall not be submitted as a part of the appropriation of the necessary funds to meet the estimated expenditures of the school district. All moneys received from taxes or other public sources for library purposes shall be kept as a separate library fund by the treasurer of the municipality or district making the appropriation and shall be expended only under direction of the library trustees on properly authenticated vouchers, except that money received from taxes and other public sources for the support of a public library or a free association library or a cooperative library system shall be paid over to the treasurer of such library or cooperative library system upon the written demand of its trustees. All such moneys paid over to a public library treasurer shall be deposited and secured in the manner provided by section ten of the general municipal law and the library trustees or the library treasurer, if the trustees shall delegate such duty to him, may invest such moneys in the manner provided by section eleven of such law.

b. (1) Except as provided in subparagraph two of this paragraph, whenever qualified voters of a municipality, in a number equal to at least ten per centum of the total number of votes cast in such municipality for governor at the last gubernatorial election, shall so petition and the library board of trustees shall endorse, the question of establishing or increasing the amount of funding of the annual contribution for the operating budget of a registered public or free association library by such municipality to a sum specified in said petition, shall be voted on at the next general election of such municipality, provided that due public notice of the proposed action shall have been given. An increase in library funding provided pursuant to this paragraph shall not apply to a municipal budget adopted prior to the date of such election.

 

Vote on Proposition #1 on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.

Remember to turn the ballot over!