Legislation targets library cap

Jamesburg council favors Greenstein bill; some library board members don’t

By Maria Prato-Gaines
   JAMESBURG — Borough officials disagree over whether new legislation that would cap library funding increases at 4 percent would benefit Jamesburg.
   The legislation, sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, a Democrat who represents Jamesburg, Cranbury and Monroe, would reduce the cap on mandated funding from 15 percent to bring it in line with the 4 percent cap on tax levy increases approved last year.
   The bill, A-4650, was introduced Dec. 10 and assigned to the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee. No action had been scheduled as of Thursday.
   The Borough Council is in favor of the legislation because it would limit funding to the library and allow more flexibility within the municipal budget. Some on the library board, however, believe a lower cap could affect programming.
   Municipal libraries are guaranteed the equivalent of one third of a mil in funding, or $33 per $100,000 of equalized assessed valuation. When equalized valuation increases, the library is guaranteed an increase in municipal funding up to 15 percent under state law.
   The council had considered asking voters to remove the library’s municipal designation last year because the increase in library spending was squeezing the cap-restricted budget. Library funding increased 17 percent in 2007, from $145,650 to $170,472. Library spending accounted for 3.2 percent of the borough’s $5.28 million budget, compared with 2.8 percent of the 2006 budget.
   Voters would have had to approve the change in status because the library was created by referendum.
   Members of the library board and the public opposed the proposed referendum and the ordinance creating the ballot question failed in an August council vote, shortly before the deadline for placing a referendum on the ballot.
   Assemblywoman Greenstein said Jamesburg’s budget problems motivated her to write the bill.
   ”Jamesburg was the inspiration,” she said. “There was some talk of putting up the library for a referendum. No one wanted to get rid of the library.”
   She said municipal agencies that receive money from the municipal budget all should be held to the same 4 percent limit.
   ”I think it’s a good bill and a fair bill,” she said. “It just changes that number. No one is up to 15 percent except libraries.”
   Councilman John Longo said last week that he supported the bill.
   ”This would guarantee that the library would be held accountable just as we are held accountable,” he said at a Dec. 19 council meeting. “If you give me money, I’ll find a way to spend it. Our role is to try to help as many people as possible and be as fair as possible and I think the Greenstein bill does that.”
   Jamesburg Mayor Tony LaMantia also said he supports the bill.
   ”In order for us to look at the municipality as a whole, we feel everyone should be under that cap,” he said.
   Mayor LaMantia said that, if a solution is not found soon for library funding, other services in the borough may suffer.
   ”Let’s hope this bill passes,” he said. “It helps municipalities to keep the library open. We don’t want to cut services somewhere else.”
   Library board member Carol Hetzell said that although the board is looking for solutions to budget issues she does not believe that Assemblywoman Greenstein’s bill is the answer.
   ”I have great empathy for the council in trying to make the budget work,” she said. “There’s only so much money to go around. I’m not in favor of the bill. That would hurt us. We would have to cut back on services.”
   She said the board is anticipating an 8.9 percent increase from last year’s budget and lowering that to 4 percent would hurt a number of programs.
   ”When I tell people in the state what our budget is they can’t believe we’re even functioning,” Ms. Hetzell said.
   If the bill passes, the board would most likely have to cut hours, Ms. Hetzell said. The library is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday and Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. from Labor Day to Memorial Day.
   She also said the library would limit the amount of books purchased, as well as charge for some programs that now are free, including some offered to children.
   ”We want to keep these things,” she said. “The library is our gem in Jamesburg. It’s the only thing available to every citizen in town. We would hate to see that go by the wayside.”
   Ms. Hetzell said the board has discussed other options including supporting legislation that removes library budgets from the 4 percent cap, tweaks the current formula and allows libraries to return their surplus funds to the municipalities.
   She said the legislation being proposed by Assemblyman Paul Moriarty, D-Gloucester, would be less problematic.
   Assemblyman Moriarty’s bill, A-4423, would allow library boards to request that municipal budgets reduce the one-third-of-a-mil funding formula in cases where libraries require less funding.
   However, Assemblywoman Greenstein said the Moriarty bill would work only if a library board chooses to make that request.
   ”His bill works if you have a very cooperative library board,” she said. “It’s just too risky.”
   Assemblywoman Greenstein said she is hopeful that her bill will pass before the legislative session ends on Jan. 8 and the bill dies.
   If it doesn’t pass by then, she said she plans to reintroduce it in early 2008.
   ”As long as it’s being heard and listened to and being discussed some of us will be able to voice our concerns,” Mayor LaMantia said. “That’s all we’re looking for.”