Warwick library budget vote set for Tuesday

Warwick — This Tuesday, voters in the Warwick Valley School District vote on the Albert Wisner Public Library’s proposed $971,300 budget. This year’s budget is up about 6.4 percent from last year’s. What this means is an increase for both Warwick and Chester taxpayers. Town of Warwick residents within the Warwick School District would pay a rate of $2.23 per $1,000 of assessed value, up 15 cents from the current budget. Chester citizens who reside in the Warwick School District would see their tax rate increase to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, up four cents per $1,000 over the current year’s budget. A Warwick homeowner whose home is assessed at $50,000 would pay $111.50 per year for the library services. A homeowner whose home is assessed at $75,000 would pay $174.25 for the 2008-09 tax year. A Chester homeowner with an assessment of $200,000 would pay $100 per year for the library. A homeowner with an assessment of $300,000 would pay $150,000. Two trustee positions are also up for grabs. Regina Wittosch and Jeffrey Lever are running unopposed. Wittosch is a local realtor who has served on the Library board for more than 25 years. Lever was appointed last year to fill a vacancy on the board. He is a retired battalion chief of the New York City Fire Department. The vote takes place at the library, 2 Colonial Ave., from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. Those requesting an absentee ballot may apply for one at the library until April 7 as long as they are picking it up in person. For more information, log on to the library’s Web site at www.albertwisnerlibrary.org.