Warwick school district voters decide April 8 on $971,300 library budget

Warwick — Voters in the Warwick Valley School District will go to the polls April 8 to decide whether to approve a total budget of $971,300, up about 6.4 percent from last year’s spending plan. The amount raised by taxes is proposed at $847,300. The remainder - $124,000 - would come in through gifts, grants, interest and library charges. What does that mean for taxpayers? Town of Warwick residents within the Warwick Valley 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. Salaries for the 14 full-time library employees are proposed to increase 3.25 percent. In additional, two months salary for three part-time employees’ salaries are figured in for when the new library is built. Library Director Rosemary Cooper said the new library, which voters approved last year, is on schedule and should open in the spring of 2009. “We are about to put the project out to bid, probably in the next few weeks,” said Cooper. ‘The state reviewed our documents. Revisions were made. We should get a building permit soon.” If all goes as planned, the shovels will go into the ground in May. The other big increase in the library budget is utilities. Last year’s budget allotted $18,000 for utilities. This year that number jumps to $25,000, due in part to the rise of fuel to heat and cool the building as well as factoring in two months of maintaining two properties once the new one is built. Cleaning and upkeep is another category under building maintenance that has a drastic change. It would more than doubles from last year’s cost, from $7,300 to 18,300. The cost of the new library for two months also figures into this budgeted item. Gifts to the library are expected to double, from $25,904 to $52,000. Cooper said the increase will supply an opening day collection to the new library, something very common with a new library. “We’ve set aside $30,000 from the foundation’s fund-raising for the opening day collection,” Cooper said. The actual tax rates will be set in August when the equalization rates are set. All residents of the school district who are registered to vote with the county are eligible to vote in the library election. Those wishing to register may do so at the Dorothy Wilson Education Center at the Middle School from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those requesting an absentee ballot may apply for one at the library, by April 1 if requesting one by mail or by April 7 if picking it up. The vote will take place at the library, Tuesday, April 8, from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m.