1981 _ Area libraries threaten Cortlandt - pay up or else

1981 _ Area libraries threaten Cortlandt - pay up or else

Cella, Dean A.

"John C. Hart Memorial Library Historical News Clippings" Binder, Volume 2, 1972 - 1990

1981

This item is made available for research and educational purposes by the John C. Hart Memorial Library. Rights status is not evaluated.

PDF, 4 pages

English

Text

Yorktown (N.Y. : Town)

CORTLANDT - Area libraries want more money from Cortlandt, aud they're threatening to terminate free service to town residents if additional funds are not appropriated in the town's 1982 budget.

Supervisor Charles DiGiacomo and the rest of Cortlandt's town board have until the fall to begin formulating next year's budget, but local library board presidents and directors are forcing them to face this particular situation now. They have given the town officials an ultimatum, and the decision-makers have expressed varied opinions regarding the issue.

Library officials insist it's not greed which has led them to make the demands - they just want Cortlandt to pay its fair share.

"We have felt for years Cortlandt is not paying its fair share for registered residents in the unserved area of the town," said Cobb Stewart, director of the John C. Hart Memorial Library in Shrub Oak, recently. Besides serving their own residents, four local libraries, including Hart, the Field Library in Peekskill, the Croton Free Library, and the Hendrick Hudson Free Library in Montrose, have catered to many "unserved" Cortlandt residents over the past nine years under contracts with the town (Stewart explained unserved residents are those not paying taxes in either Hendrick Hudson's or Croton's school district.).

As it stands, library service is essentially free to both served and unserved residents. The money they do pay comes out of their taxes. The only problem, according to library officials, is Cortlandt allocates less tax money to libraries, thus leaving municipalities, where the libraries are located with the bulk of the bill.

"There is a proposal which the four libraries feel gives everyone a fair shake," explained Stewart. "It's based on per capita library expense."

Library officials claim the evidence supports their charges when expenses are broken down on a per capita, or per-person, basis. They say Peekskill, Yorktown, and the Hen Hud and Croton school districts are shelling out an average of $12 per library registrant, while Cortlandt is paying about $4 or $5 for each of their unserved registants who are served at one of the four libraries. Field Library Director Jane Schmidt gave an example. "In Peekskill, we took our total cost - what costs us each year to run the library - and put it over the number of people who use the library each year. We came up with a $12 figure. It costs $12 per year to service each person who uses the library. The town of Cortlandt is reimbursing us for only $5 per person."

Their solution is simple: Cortlandt must pay $12 per registrant beginning in 1982. And if the town refuses, library ·officials say they will cut off free service to town residents, who could wind up paying $50 for a county library card. "This is going to put quite a hardship on the people of Cortlandt who go to (libraries in) Peekskill and Shrub Oak,'' explained Schmidt. "We will be more than willing to offer service, but people will have to pay for that service."

Library officials say they regret having to take such action, but they have no choice.

"We're just looking for everything to be equitable," said Kay Winters, director at the Hen Hud Free Library. "Why should our taxpayers pay for the people living in Cortlandt outside the library district?

''We all want everyone to have library service," she added, speaking for her counterparts. " We wish every single person could have library service - free - but it still all has to be paid for somehow.''

Schmidt said the $12 per capita figure is justifiable.

"The value of service they're getting is worth this much," she explained "Cortlandt people are being served with a certain quality of servire. We are, in essence, a product to them - but they want to pay much less than the product's worth."

Stewart explained what will happen if the town refuses to pay up.

"The four libraries have come to an agreement, she said. "Peekskill and Hart will not service the unserved areas of Cortlandt. The Croton and Hendrick Hudson libraries will be serving on a local use only basis - Westchester library cards will not be issued."

Schmidt said if town residents want the basic local service in Peekskill or Shrub Oak, they will have to pay $5 for a local use only card. She said the cost of that card is soon expected to go up to $12.

Winters, meanwhile, told of a greater inconvenience and cost to those who desire county service.

"If people want Westchester Library cards, tbey will have to go to the Westchester Library System in Elmsford in order to get one. A Westchester library system card is presently $40, and I hear it's going to be going up to $50."

Winters pointed out what each resident would have to pay in taxes wouldn't even come close to $50 per year. She said the tax figure would be "substantially lower."

All this can be avoided if Cortlandt agrees to pay what library officials are calling "its fair share." Members or the town board, who make preliminary budgetary appropriations, have varied opinions on the library issue, however. One thing DiGiacomo and the other four members of the board agree on is the matter needs further looking into.

The supervisor, who has sided with the libraries, said be wants to investigate their books.

"Sometime in September, we will be reviewing their books and their budget," he said. "I want to see bow they arrived at that $12 figure. Based on that investigation, I will make a recommendation to the town board."

DiGiacomo said he thinks Cortlandt should pay the area libraries whatever it costs for service. "This is our (the town's) responsibility. We have to supply library service to the residents of our community. It is a service a town normally supplies to its community. 

"Basically, I have agreed with the things they (the libraries) have proposed. I am receptive and it seems to be a viable solution to resolve this matter not only now, butfor the future."

The proposed contract calls for a certain formula to be used which would compute per capita costs each year. "This established formula would become a basis." said the supervisor. "It seems fair, equitable, and reasonable."

Councilman John Gaffney disagrees. In fact, he suggests Cortlandt residents who use these libraries should be solely responsible for costs incurred.

"I don't think the government has the responsibility to provide (library) service," he said. "Just like in a lot of other things, the less government the better. If someone wants a library card, then they have to view that as their expense. I don't think the government should supply everything for everyone. Sometimes individµals must take care of their own things."

Gaffney pointed out although he's opposed to budgetary appropriations to libraries, be still would like to see a solution worked out between the town and libraries.

"I certainly would not like to see a reduction in available services from tbe libraries," he explained. "However, if it means an overall significant increase to the town budget, then I'd be inclined to say everyone should deal with it on an individual basis."

The councilman, who has just returned from a threeweek west coast business trip , said be wants to loot into the situation further.

"I need to have all the numbers in front of me. Until then, I can't comment intelligently on the problems and how they (libraries) are justifying these costs.

"I want to listen to the library otficials. They've been extremely good to us, and they've always presented a very legitimate case to us in the past. I want to give them the opportunity to talk with me again before I make a decision."

Councilman Mike Mongero stands somewhere in between Digiacomo and Gaffney. He said he feels library users should help foot part of the bill directly out of their pockets.

"Of course the town should support the libraries,', he II said, "but people who use them should be paying. their fair share."

When told of the $12 per capita figure library officals are demanding, Mongero said: "It sounds a little high. I don't know what an appropriate figure would be - we'll figure ff that out at budget time. If libraries discontinued free service it "would be very unfortunate and should be avoided," he added.

Councilwoman Betty Basel said she thinks negotiatiom between the two parties might help. "-They (library officials) are not unreasonable people. I'd like to negotiate with them to find a solution to the problem."

She said Mongero's suggestion library-users foot part of the bill "is a possibility, but I really don't know for sure. I'd like to look at their budget, but until I see their figures and lit down to talk with them, I really don't know what to 1 do for sure."

Councilman Anthony DeSantes said he thinks it's imperative for Cortlandt residents to have library service. However, he doesn't know yet whether or not that service should be free.

"I still want to investigate the issue on my own before I say anything," be said. "At the present time, l don't have much information on it, but I will in the future."

In the next several months, these varied opinions must somehow mesh into one budgetary appropriation - and it must be one which the libraries will accept. Library officials claim they will not settle for anything less than equal per capita costs for all who use their facilities.

Schmidt stressed the libraries have taken enough and want to see some action.

They <Cortlandt) have always paid much below what they should, she said. "We've been trying to get them to understand the situation for a long time."

Winters gave an example ol past inequities. She said the average per capita cost in 1976 was $8.35, but Cortlandt paid only $2.54. She said the town contributed even less ($2.11) in 1978, even though the per capita cost rose to about $11 per person.

Meanwhile, DiGiacomo said he will make an appropriation in bis preliminary budget after reviewing library costs and figures next month. Based on his feelings and past actions ("I've always recommended the library budget be increased"), the supervisor will most likely meet the demands of library officials in his preliminary outline. From there, it's anyone's guess what the town board will do.

DiGiacomo said tbe library question will be considered with all other budgetary considerations as public hearings are held in November and December. Basel said that's probably the best idea.

"If we have a public hearing, then the people will be able to tell us what they want," she said. "That's the important thing."

(PHOTO, Page 1) It's business as usual at John C. Hart Memorial Library recently as three employee deal with Just part of the slew of books and periodicals used at the Shrub Oat facility each day. The three - (left-to-right) Sharon Karsch, Kye Raimondo, and Florence Stevens - might not have to serve as many readers in the future as the library is threatening to cut off free service to Cortlandt residents unless the town increases its yearly allotment of money to the facility in 1982. Three other libraries have joined in on the move, which means Cortlandt residents could pay aa much as $50 a year for county library service beginning next year. Karsch and Raimondo are clerks at Hart, while Stevens is the director of the childrens library. Staff photo by Dean A. Celia.

(PHOTO, Page 3) JUST BROWSING - Two young people spend a portion of their afternoon in the children'a section of the John C. Hart Memorial Library in Shrub Oak recently. Cortlandt Supervisor Charles DiGiacomo and the rest of the town board must make up their minds soon whether to meet the demands area library offieials have asked for in the coming year. "Free service to Cortlandt residents will be cut off in 1982 unless the town board members decide to appropriate addltiooal funds in four area library systems. Right now, the town board seem to be split on the issue. which must be decided by the time the town budget is formulated later this year.

News Clippings