2026 Budget Vote and Trustee Election Q&A
See the official Annual Report pamphlet as a PDF document, or the Budget Q&A as a PDF document..
On Thursday, April 23,2026, registered voters who live in the Saratoga Springs City School District will vote on the Saratoga Springs Public Library’s proposed FY2026-27 budget and elect two Trustees for five-year terms. The vote will be held from 9am-9pm in the Library’s H. Dutcher Community Room.
When will the library vote be held?
The vote will be held on Thursday, April 23,2026, 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, extension 253, or at the library between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. At 7 p.m. on Monday, April 20th, there will be a public hearing on the proposed budget 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 $5,552,327 in school district property taxes in Fiscal Year 2026-2027 to operate the Saratoga Springs Public Library. This is a 2% increase over FY2025-26.
- Trustees: There are two candidates for two vacancies on the Library’s Board of Trustees. Carol Daggs, of Saratoga Springs, is running for reelection to an expiring seat, and Nurcan Atalan-Helicke, also of Saratoga Springs, is running to fill a vacancy created by the expiring term of Frank Brady.
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 2025-2026. 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?
The Library recently unveiled a new strategic plan continuing our focus on four areas: universal accessibility, and the library as a place, a community convener, and a community leader. Efforts in the coming year will focus on improvements to the library building’s aging automated security and building maintenance systems, and ongoing expansion of outreach efforts into remoter parts of the library district, which spans from Lake Desolation to Saratoga Lake, and includes the large portions of the Towns of Wilton, Greenfield and Milton that lie within the Saratoga Springs City School District.
Additionally, the Library is currently undergoing an internal study of the changing way spaces within the building are used, with an eye toward solutions that meet current use patterns and planning for the evolution of services. Planning for the long-term preservation of the unique local history collection within the Saratoga Room is also underway.
While our collection continues to expand into less traditional areas, and formats for delivering information and content continue to evolve, we anticipate that the Library will continue to be a hub of community activity, and program attendance will continue to grow.
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Saratoga Springs Public Library Proposed FY2026-27 Budget
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More questions? Contact A. Issac Pulver, Library Director at 518-584-7860