LML's Proposed $4.2M Budget Yields 1.26% Tax Hike

Residents will see a 1.26 increase in their tax levy, should they the proposed $4.2 million 2012-13 budget on .

The LML's will take place on at the library at One Lee Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Budget Breakdown
The 1.26 tax-levy increase falls under the New York state two-percent tax cap, said LML Director Peter Ward. It's also the second increase in four years, he added.

"We've had a zero, zero, a and now a 1.26 percent increase in the past couple of years," Ward told Lindenhurst Patch.

"It's a relatively small increase, while there've been significant increases in state-administered benefits programs, like health and retirement," he said.

It's because of those key increases the LML is mandated to accommodate by NYS that the proposed 2012-13 library budget shows a tax-levy increase, according to Ward.

And it's the same reason the 2011-12 budget produced a 3.6 percent hike that was by residents last April.

If the budget and associated tax-levy increase is approved, then "it'll maintain the quality of service that has been developed over the years," said Ward.

"Last year alone more than 300,000 people visited us and borrowed more than 400,000 items - a value of nearly $5 million," added Ward. "And that's not counting the value of programs, Internet access and other services we provide."

Here’s how the proposed budget for fiscal year July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 breaks down:

• Salaries and benefits increase from $3.2 million to $3.4 million in the proposed budget.
• Total library materials and programs stay flat at $425,000.
• Total library operations increase from $309,000 to $326,000.
• Total building operations increase from $250,100 to $262,500.
• Total expenditures increase from $4,364,521 to $4,396,500, representing a .073 increase.

(See also the accompanying PDF, which could also be found on the LML website by clicking here.)

Capital Improvements
The library will also be embarking upon a five-year capital repair plan, but the cost is separate from this year's proposed budget and has no impact on the 2012-13 budget, according to Ward.

The plan comes as a result of recommendations outlined in a recent report it received as a result of a building inspection required by NYS. The library is required to do these inspections much the is under NYS education law, explained Ward.

"The money for these repairs and upgrades are coming out of a separate capital project fund altogether," he said.

Among the biggest capital improvement outlined in the plan is the replacement of the HVAC units on the roof of the library.

"That's really the major one," said Ward. "They're about 20 years old, and they're done."

Other improvements in the plan include upgrading the fire alarm system and replacing the single-pane windows with more energy-efficient, double-pane ones, he noted.

Trustee Election
In addition to being able to cast their ballots on the proposed 2012-13 budget, residents will be able to cast their votes for two trustees up for .

Bob Becker is the current vice president of the LML board, and is running uncontested for re-election.

Bob Shetty is running unopposed for the seat left vacant when Administrator and Babylon Citizens Council on the Arts () President Shawn Cullinane stepped down in December, citing that other Lindenhurst activities were demanding more of his time, according to one report.

Shetty is an economist with roughly 30 years of banking industry experience, and has lived in Lindenhurst for close to 35 years, according to Ward.

The board narrowed the field to Shetty after it put out a notice for applicants for Cullinane's vacant position, Ward noted, and the library received no other challengers for the position - or for Becker's position.