SP Library Patrons Come Out En Masse to Protest Proposed Budget Cuts

It was a packed house at Scotch Plains Council's Monday meeting, where many residents came out to argue against proposed budget cuts to the Scotch Plains library.

Patron after patron took to the mic to talk about their positive experiences at the library and suggest that council appropriate more funds to help the library continue to operate with its current staff and hours. Their pleas were each followed by applause from the audience.

In response, Mayor Kevin Glover and Councilwoman Colleen Gialanella told residents that although the state has lowered the town's minimum library funding, that the library has sufficient funds in leftover budget surplus to continue operating at its current level.

In 2013, the minimum funding for the library is $1,284,684, about $47,000 lower than 2012's minimum. Each year's minimum is calculated using a municipality's property tax assessments and is reduced accordingly when assessments are lowered through appeals.

In the 2012 budget, the library received an additional $61,833.70 from the township, for a total budget of $1,393,814.70 - about $109,000 more than is proposed in this year's budget. In the proposed 2013 budget, the township provides no additional funds beyond the state minimum.

Glover said that the library has $67,000 in unencumbered funds leftover from last year as well as $100,000 in state aid available to make up the difference in this year's budget from last year's. He also added that the town has previously overfunded the library.

"In past we held back on expenditures for our police department, fire department, public works department," Glover said. "They've all taken cuts. The library has not. ... We know how passionate you are about the library. So are we. But on the other hand what he have is a responsibility to the entire community. To the extent that we can use surplus within our library to offset their operating shortfall, monies that are available – well, would we rather as a council raise taxes arbitrarily so that we can preserve a surplus that we should draw down in these times? That our governor would recommend that we draw down in these times?...If someone has the cash to operate, why would we go to the bank to borrow money?"

Gialanella added that she feels this conversation needs to happen with the CFO present (she was unavailable Monday night), so that the public can be advised of the true numbers regarding the library budget.

"What I think should occur, is this conversation should continue on a night when she can be with us so she can go through exact bank account information to help relieve the public’s very reasonable concerns," said Gialanella. "I think it's important for all of you to understand that the library has the ability to decide where to spend their dollars."

Gialanella added that as an educator she is passionate about the success of students and would have objections to any cuts she thought would affect the library's ability to provide the services it currently does.

Councilman Louis Beckerman thanked those who came out to voice their thoughts, but said he had also met with the CFO and agreed with the mayor and Gialanella that the library has sufficient funds to operate as it has been. 

"I hear you loud and clear," Councilman Mickey Marcus said to the crowd, noting he is a library patron. "We need to take a very, very hard look at what we’re doing when it comes to the library. The state sets what is determined to be the minimum level of funding, but it is within the purview of town council to look at that number and decide whether to adjust it in some way."

Marcus added that since he's been on council the past two years, the library has received an additional $20,000 more than the minimum the state sets and he hopes that council can at least provide that again this year.

Councilman Bo Vastine read a letter from the library's board president Jeffrey Noonan, which pointed out that most municipalities (57.51% in 2011 according to Noonan) do fund their libraries above the minimum appropriation decided by the state.

Vastine argued that the mayor was wrong to say that the state cut the budget, as the state only reduced the minimum appropriation and therefore, the budget reflects changes made by the council.

Vastine motioned that council change the funding to a responsible amount and look to support the library in more ways than they currently do rather than reduce the budget. His motion was also met with applause. On the vote,  Vastine and Marcus voted yes, while Gialanella, Beckerman and Mayor Glover voted no.