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February 1, 2009

Boro supports cuts to library funding

Atlanticville January 29, 2009

NJLM approves resolution asking state to amend public library funding formula
BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer

WEST LONG BRANCH — A proposal made by the borough in the fall to reduce the amount of funding municipalities must provide to their free public libraries is gaining some support statewide.

The Borough Council made a proposal in November at the New Jersey League of Municipalities (NJLM) annual conference calling for the state Legislature to amend its free municipal public library funding formula in light of the nation's current economic climate.

The NJLM introduced and approved the measure and has since put the proposal into a resolution and circulated it to each of the state's 566 municipalities.

"There are a lot of towns that feel the way we do," West Long Branch Mayor Janet Tucci said at the Jan. 21 council meeting, adding that if the measure is approved by the state, it would provide a significant cost savings for the borough.

The council began pushing for a reform to the state's public library funding laws after Councilman J. Thomas DeBruin proposed it in September as a way to reduce the borough budget.

The NJLM, a lobbying group made up of representatives from each of the state's municipalities, is now calling on each municipality in the state to pass a resolution requesting that the state Senate and Assembly take action and amend the current funding formula.

"We believe that as local governments confront unprecedented fiscal challenges, a reform to the [library funding] statute is both appropriate and necessary," NJLM Executive Director William Dressel said.

West Long Branch was required to appropriate approximately $500,000 for its municipal library in 2008, according to the current funding formula in place. The borough's overall 2008 spending plan was valued at $9 million.

"We give our library here in town a little under half a million dollars for salary and wages and operating expenses," Tucci said. "That seems to be a lot, considering our town budget last year was $9 million and we are giving half a million to the library."

If the amended funding proposal was in place last year, the borough would have only had to budget $250,000 for its library, Tucci explained.

Dressel explained that although the proposal is seeking to lower the amount of money a municipality pays to its library, it would not put a maximum limit on how much towns can give to their libraries.

"We note that such a change would not prevent a municipality from providing more funding than it required, but merely lower the required payment for municipal libraries," Dressel said.

Despite being a supporter of the proposed amendment to the funding formula, Tucci said that she is appreciative of the services provided by the borough's library.

"We have a wonderful library, a wonderful staff," Tucci said. "A lot of people use the library and enjoy it, but it is a lot of money to continue to give it.

"So in trying to keep our little town library alive and well without bankrupting the town at the same time, we put out a resolution," she added.

According to Tucci, the state's current library funding statute was last amended in 1985. At that time, she explained, property values throughout the state were significantly lower. In recent years, property values have increased, and as a direct result, so has the amount municipalitiesmust appropriate to their libraries.

"Nineteen eighty-five was the last time [the funding formula] was amended, and we really feel it needed to be amended again, because small towns can't afford to keep their wonderful libraries and we don't want to give them up," Tucci said.

The NJLM has received criticism from the New Jersey Library Board regarding the proposal, according to Tucci.

"It's very controversial because needless to say the New Jersey Library Board does not want this to happen," Tucci said. "They feel that if towns aren't made to fund small libraries, they are going to close up."

Prior to seeking an amendment to the state's funding formula, the borough was looking into possibly turning the municipal library over to the Monmouth County Library System.

By transferring the library to the county system, DeBruin explained, the municipal library would become a branch of the county system and the borough would no longer be required to abide by the state public library funding formula.

The proposal could have saved the borough some $387,000 annually, according to De- Bruin, who explained that due to several roadblocks, including concerns over whether the library's current employees would still be able to work at the facility or would be let go when it was taken over by the county, the plan has was put on hold.

Contact Daniel Howley at dhowley@gmnews.

Posted by tumulty at February 1, 2009 7:26 PM

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