No tax levy increase in Franklin Square library budget

Taxes for the Franklin Square Library will stay the same with the introduction of the next fiscal year’s budget, members of the library board said earlier this week.

Ultimately, while increasing the overall budget total by $230,000, the Franklin Square Library budget for 2010-11 will allow for some new hires while still preventing an increase in the library’s share of the tax levy.

This was made possible, board members said, through smart use of the existing tax income, and by opening up some of the library’s cash reserves to help cover a few anticipated expenses.

“Frugality, for us, is trying to make the most that we can with as few increases as we could,” said Franklin Square Library Board President Fred McElderry. “I think the fact that it’s been a couple of years now that we’ve held the line proves that its very important for us to maintain and increase the services that we do have without impacting the tax line any more than we have to.”

Notably, in this year’s budget, the library is preparing a more than $150,000 dollar increase in its personnel expenses, to account for the hiring of a full-time cleaner and a new children’s librarian — a position that the library is hoping to fill soon.

The library has built in an extra $74,000 for the additional hires, and also had to nearly double its contribution to its pension fund. Board member Pat Galaskas said that the pension fund increase was an unfortunate but mandated cost because of the difficult economy.

“We’re getting hit with this increase because the stock market’s going crazy right now, and you have to make up the difference for people’s pensions,” she said. For public employees — including librarians and library staff — pension plans are monitored by state actuaries, who keep track of overall pension fund investment in the stock market. Because of the rough up-and-down period the market experienced over the last two years, Galaskas said, state actuaries mandated an increase in pension funds set aside to offset any loss.

“Anybody who has public employees is undoubtedly being hit by this increase,” she said.”

Despite a $150,000 increase in personnel spending, the library has cut costs in other areas, including materials, operating expenses and maintenance.

The library board’s goal, McElderry said, is to maintain a constant level of service to the community — especially given the current economic situation — without raising taxes.

“In these economic times, if we can do things without affecting the tax line at all, we consider that a very high priority,” he said. “These days, the library is more in demand than ever. It’s a place where people come particularly when times are tough.”

In neighboring Elmont, the library board, which is patronized by Elmont residents as well as North Valley Stream and western Franklin Square residents, has not yet completed its budget negotiations, but is anticipating making a budget announcement soon.