Relates to funding of public library systems

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to funding of library systems

Purpose

This bill seeks to permit voters in certain localities to initiate increases in local funding for public library systems.

Summary of specific provisions

This bill would amend the Education Law, to permit the people of a municipality to place on a local ballot a proposition for public library system purposes.

Such ballot initiative would be accomplished by the circulation and filing of a petition containing signatures equal to ten percent of the people who voted in the last gubernatorial election in such municipality

Such petition must indicate the amount of the library funding increase, and such proposition must be endorsed by resolution of the library system board of trustees.

Justification

The bulk of funding for library systems, aside from funding from the State Education Department. comes from the counties and localities they serve. Although systems face increasing demand for their services, increasing local support proportionately is more and more difficult.

This bill would permit concerned citizens to place the question of increased library system funding directly on a local ballot, and would thus allow local taxpayers to opt affirmatively for increased local funding.

Prior legislative history

2008 - S 1956: Referred to Standing Committee on Education

Fiscal implications

This bill would not provide any fiscal impact upon the state, and any local fiscal impact would be inherently as a result of this bill be the result of a direct vote on the matter by the locality's voters.

Effective date

This bill would take effect immediately.