The 2023 Library Budget and Trustee Vote – Questions & Answers
When will the library vote be held?
The vote will be held on Thursday, April 20,2023, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the library’s H. Dutcher Community Room. Information about absentee ballots is available from the Library District Clerk, at 518-584-7860, or at the library between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. At 7 p.m. on Monday, April 17th, there will be a public hearing on the proposed budget and an opportunity to meet library Trustee candidates, in the H. Dutcher Community room.
Who can vote?
Any Saratoga Springs City School District resident who is a registered voter is eligible to vote.
What are we voting for?
- Budget: The public will be voting on a proposition to collect $5,283,757 in school district property taxes in Fiscal Year 2023-2024 to operate the Saratoga Springs Public Library. This is a 1.5% increase over FY2022-23, and the first increase since 2019.
- Trustee: Katie Capelli, whose current five-year term expires in June, is running unopposed for reelection. She was first elected in 2018.
What happens if the budget doesn’t 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 2022-2023. Should the proposed budget not pass, the library board will decide what budget lines and services will be reduced or reallocated.
What will be happening in the coming year?
We continue to look forward to a fuller reopening as health conditions improve. At the height of the pandemic, use of library digital materials soared, and staff pivoted to presenting programs virtually. We are now operating fully, use of library materials and services is steadily increasing, and we anticipate that new modes of delivering our services developed during the pandemic will be with us well into the future, to complement our traditional offerings. The proposed budget will allow us to continue to meet the high demand for library services and to expand and improve access to vital technology and information resources.
Additionally, we will continue implementing strategies outlined in our recently-approved long-range plan aimed at cementing our place as a leader in community sustainability efforts; increasing our efforts to design spaces, programs, and services that are universally accessible; convening conversations of importance to our citizenry; and serving as a welcoming and safe space all the people we serve.
A link to the legal notice with information about the vote, appearing in the Saratogian and the Schenectady Gazette, can be found here.