Post by Libyan Sibyl on Jan 22, 2008 16:18:29 GMT -5
We are going to get if from the county level to pay for the county library even though we are not members of that system...
Nonmembers' taxes may pay library billBy Bob Jordan • FREEHOLD BUREAU • January 22, 2008
FREEHOLD — Thirteen Monmouth County municipalities are not part of the county library system.
Their residents don't have free borrowing privileges at the county libraries, but they may have to start helping pay the annual $600,000 bill for utilities and maintenance costs at the county libraries in Manalapan and Shrewsbury.
The 13 municipalities are:
Aberdeen,
Asbury Park,
Avon,
Belmar,
Bradley Beach,
Freehold,
Keyport,
Long Branch,
Matawan,
Middletown,
Neptune,
Red Bank
Spring Lake
Residents of Middletown and the 12 other Monmouth County municipalities not part of the county library system might have to start chipping in to pay the annual $600,000 bill for utilities and maintenance costs at the county system's two main buildings, where their residents don't have free borrowing privileges.
In the budget proposal being considered by the county government, the Monmouth County Library System would reduce by the same amount its collections from a dedicated library tax paid by residents of the 40 towns that are members of the system, library Director Kenneth Sheinbaum said Monday.
Under a quirky formula used to determine state aid to libraries, the county system would gain about $66,000 in aid simply because of the accounting change, officials said.
Several members of Monmouth County freeholders board expressed interest in making the change, but some also said they are concerned it would be unfair to those living in the 13 towns that have independent libraries. Those residents don't pay county library taxes and must purchase $100 library cards annually to have county library borrowing privileges.
Also, people in those 13 towns have some of their county taxes used for certain expenditures on the library system, such as the ongoing expansion work being done at the Eastern branch library in Shrewsbury.
"On one side, it's a fiscal issue. On the other side, it's a question of equity," Freeholder John D'Amico Jr. said when the board held a budget meeting last week.
Another county budget meeting has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Hall of Records, 1 E. Main St. The county's 2008 budget will be up for an introduction vote at another meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the same location.
County officials also have to contemplate the library system's request for a 6.5 percent increase in the amount it collects from the dedicated tax. The tax raised $11.5 million for the system in 2007, according to figures provided by Sheinbaum.
The Monmouth County Library System has 11 branches, including the two county-owned buildings that are subject to the tax change proposal � the Eastern branch in Shrewsbury and the system headquarters in Manalapan.
The other nine branch buildings � in Allentown, Colts Neck, Hazlet, Holmdel, Howell, Marlboro, Oceanport, Ocean Township and Wall � are owned and maintained by the individual municipalities, but run by county employees.
Other towns, including Sea Bright, Eatontown and Fair Haven, are members of the county system, but their libraries are staffed by the municipalities. Another group of towns, including Freehold Township, have no library buildings, but residents pay into the county system and have free borrowing privileges.
The remaining 13 municipalities, including Asbury Park, Middletown and Long Branch, have independent libraries or have use of such facilities. Some of the costs are substantial: The portion of the Middletown operating budget used to provide library services came to $3.8 million in the township's 2007 budget, according to the municipality's Web site.
Nonmembers' taxes may pay library billBy Bob Jordan • FREEHOLD BUREAU • January 22, 2008
FREEHOLD — Thirteen Monmouth County municipalities are not part of the county library system.
Their residents don't have free borrowing privileges at the county libraries, but they may have to start helping pay the annual $600,000 bill for utilities and maintenance costs at the county libraries in Manalapan and Shrewsbury.
The 13 municipalities are:
Aberdeen,
Asbury Park,
Avon,
Belmar,
Bradley Beach,
Freehold,
Keyport,
Long Branch,
Matawan,
Middletown,
Neptune,
Red Bank
Spring Lake
Residents of Middletown and the 12 other Monmouth County municipalities not part of the county library system might have to start chipping in to pay the annual $600,000 bill for utilities and maintenance costs at the county system's two main buildings, where their residents don't have free borrowing privileges.
In the budget proposal being considered by the county government, the Monmouth County Library System would reduce by the same amount its collections from a dedicated library tax paid by residents of the 40 towns that are members of the system, library Director Kenneth Sheinbaum said Monday.
Under a quirky formula used to determine state aid to libraries, the county system would gain about $66,000 in aid simply because of the accounting change, officials said.
Several members of Monmouth County freeholders board expressed interest in making the change, but some also said they are concerned it would be unfair to those living in the 13 towns that have independent libraries. Those residents don't pay county library taxes and must purchase $100 library cards annually to have county library borrowing privileges.
Also, people in those 13 towns have some of their county taxes used for certain expenditures on the library system, such as the ongoing expansion work being done at the Eastern branch library in Shrewsbury.
"On one side, it's a fiscal issue. On the other side, it's a question of equity," Freeholder John D'Amico Jr. said when the board held a budget meeting last week.
Another county budget meeting has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Hall of Records, 1 E. Main St. The county's 2008 budget will be up for an introduction vote at another meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the same location.
County officials also have to contemplate the library system's request for a 6.5 percent increase in the amount it collects from the dedicated tax. The tax raised $11.5 million for the system in 2007, according to figures provided by Sheinbaum.
The Monmouth County Library System has 11 branches, including the two county-owned buildings that are subject to the tax change proposal � the Eastern branch in Shrewsbury and the system headquarters in Manalapan.
The other nine branch buildings � in Allentown, Colts Neck, Hazlet, Holmdel, Howell, Marlboro, Oceanport, Ocean Township and Wall � are owned and maintained by the individual municipalities, but run by county employees.
Other towns, including Sea Bright, Eatontown and Fair Haven, are members of the county system, but their libraries are staffed by the municipalities. Another group of towns, including Freehold Township, have no library buildings, but residents pay into the county system and have free borrowing privileges.
The remaining 13 municipalities, including Asbury Park, Middletown and Long Branch, have independent libraries or have use of such facilities. Some of the costs are substantial: The portion of the Middletown operating budget used to provide library services came to $3.8 million in the township's 2007 budget, according to the municipality's Web site.
