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City seeking raise on November ballot
By Jamie Larson
The Hudson Area Association Library receives less public funding, per person in it’s chartered coverage area, then any other library in Columbia County, according to the Mid-Hudson Library System’s Statistical Report for 2008. Library officials feel the numbers justify their call for a ballot referendum this November to more then double their taxpayer funding.
According to the report, the Hudson Library receives $48,000 from the city, $6,250 from the town of Greenport, and 5,909 from Columbia County. When the total public funding, $60,159 is divided by the estimated population of the library’s chartered area, 11,704, the library receives an average of $5.14 per resident. At the other end of the spectrum, the North Chatham Library, which serves 1,084 residents, receives $70,909 in public funding, an average of $65.41 per serviced citizen.
The county average for library funding is $19.18 per person. These amounts do not include money acquired through fundraisers of received in federal and state aid, as they are subject to regular change.
“We know we’re way down at the bottom,” Hudson Library Board President Theresa Parsons said. “In all the libraries in the (Mid Hudson) system we’re 64th out of 70. Six from the bottom in funding.”
The Referendum Hudson library supporters are petitioning charter residents to put on the ballot would raise taxpayer contributions from $48,000 to $120,000 in Hudson and increase Greenport’s funding from $6,250 to $16,500. If both referendums were to pass the Hudson library would still receive roughly $3,600 less then the library in New Lebanon which services roughly 9,000 fewer residents. New Lebanon averages $57.42 per resident. If the Hudson and Greenport referendums pass, charter residents will average $11.66 per person, still bellow the county average.
Parsons said that the sizable endowment the library used to enjoy has all but dried up. “We have not been able to break even for the last ten years without going into the endowment,” Parsons said. “I don’t want to say we’re down to our last penny, but I think it’s safe to say we’re down to our last year.”
Library Board trustees and volunteers have been out collecting the signatures needed to place their referendum on the ballot since early August and expect to exceed the amount needed by the Tuesday after Labor Day, Sept. 8. The Petitioners need 204 signatures from registered voters in Hudson and 174 from voters in Greenport. Parsons says they won’t be taking any chances and will try and exceed those totals by 10 percent to offset any signatures that are disqualified when checked against the Board of Elections voter rolls.
“It’s been an amazing process,” Parsons said of collecting signatures. “Listening to peoples stories, what the library means to them, has been really uplifting.”
***
To reach reporter Jamie Larson call 518-828-1616, ext. 2269, or e-mail jlarson@registerstar.com. to comment directly on this story visit www. registerstar.com.
According to the report, the Hudson Library receives $48,000 from the city, $6,250 from the town of Greenport, and 5,909 from Columbia County. When the total public funding, $60,159 is divided by the estimated population of the library’s chartered area, 11,704, the library receives an average of $5.14 per resident. At the other end of the spectrum, the North Chatham Library, which serves 1,084 residents, receives $70,909 in public funding, an average of $65.41 per serviced citizen.
The county average for library funding is $19.18 per person. These amounts do not include money acquired through fundraisers of received in federal and state aid, as they are subject to regular change.
“We know we’re way down at the bottom,” Hudson Library Board President Theresa Parsons said. “In all the libraries in the (Mid Hudson) system we’re 64th out of 70. Six from the bottom in funding.”
The Referendum Hudson library supporters are petitioning charter residents to put on the ballot would raise taxpayer contributions from $48,000 to $120,000 in Hudson and increase Greenport’s funding from $6,250 to $16,500. If both referendums were to pass the Hudson library would still receive roughly $3,600 less then the library in New Lebanon which services roughly 9,000 fewer residents. New Lebanon averages $57.42 per resident. If the Hudson and Greenport referendums pass, charter residents will average $11.66 per person, still bellow the county average.
Parsons said that the sizable endowment the library used to enjoy has all but dried up. “We have not been able to break even for the last ten years without going into the endowment,” Parsons said. “I don’t want to say we’re down to our last penny, but I think it’s safe to say we’re down to our last year.”
Library Board trustees and volunteers have been out collecting the signatures needed to place their referendum on the ballot since early August and expect to exceed the amount needed by the Tuesday after Labor Day, Sept. 8. The Petitioners need 204 signatures from registered voters in Hudson and 174 from voters in Greenport. Parsons says they won’t be taking any chances and will try and exceed those totals by 10 percent to offset any signatures that are disqualified when checked against the Board of Elections voter rolls.
“It’s been an amazing process,” Parsons said of collecting signatures. “Listening to peoples stories, what the library means to them, has been really uplifting.”
***
To reach reporter Jamie Larson call 518-828-1616, ext. 2269, or e-mail jlarson@registerstar.com. to comment directly on this story visit www. registerstar.com.
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alocalcitizen wrote on Sep 2, 2009 9:27 PM: