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Letter: Approve Putnam Library Budget

PUTNAM COUNTY, N.Y. -- The Putnam Daily Voice accepts signed letters to the editor. Send signed letters to putnam@dailyvoice.com.

To the editor:

In response to Dan Vera's letter about the Putnam Valley Library:

If the referendum is voted on in November, Mr. Vera is correct -- the town will no longer have control over the library budget; the residents of the town will. 

What is frightening for lovers of education and the library is that right now it only takes a majority of three town board members to determine whether or not Putnam Valley has a functioning library. We believe that decision should be in the hands of ALL the voters, not just three.

I’m not sure why Mr. Vera guesses our library is sitting on a $4 million reserve. If we were, we’d spend it upgrading our computers, being open more hours, having more programs for adults and children, lending e-readers, increasing our collections, and fixing bridges.

Whatever "reserves" we have are not hoarded tax dollars -- every penny of that goes to keeping the doors open. The minute savings we do have represent fund-raising initiatives and a bequest. The library goes to the town every budget season, hat in hand, and have not in recent memory ever received what we requested.

In fact, last year Councilwoman Annabi suggested the town cut the library by $50,000 -- almost 20 percent% of our budget!

To compare Putnam Valley Library to Mahopac Library is comparing apples and oranges. Mahopac Library is a school district library with a budget of more than $2 million, supported by a much larger population and business base.

We at the library believe in democracy. We believe the library budget belongs in the hands of the residents, and shouldn’t be decided by council members campaigning to keep their seats on the board.

I encourage you all to ask questions of knowledgeable people before “guesstimating” and spreading misinformation. Come to the library, get to know the staff, director and trustees. Educate yourself about how Putnam Valley Library compares to other COMPARABLE libraries in the county. Mr. Vera got one thing right in his letter: the library’s function in the community is vital.

Priscilla Keresey,

President, Putnam Valley Library Board of Trustees

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