414

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What is a 414 vote?

  • Official name: Chapter 414 of the laws of 1995 in New York State

  • This law enables libraries (of any type) to put their budget up for a public vote on Election Day. This year’s vote will take place on November 4, 2025

  • The vote will establish the municipal appropriation for the library

  • If the vote passes, the municipality will fund the library at the approved level.

 

How many votes are needed for passage of the library district proposal?

  • The majority of the votes cast.

 

How much will this cost?

The cost increase will vary based on the total property assessment for 2025. Based upon current rates, the requested increase to the library’s budget of $50,000 per year, will result in an increase of $5.33 per $100,000 in assessed value. In other words, if your property is assessed at:

$200,000 – increase would be $10.66 a year (or a coffee and a donut)

$300,000 –  increase would be  $15.99 a year  (or one month of a stream service)

$400,000  – increase would be  $21.32 a year  (or a large pizza)

$500,000 – increase would be  $26.65 a year  (or a new hardcover book)

$600,000 – increase would be  $31.98 a year (or lunch for two)

 

Will the library tax automatically increase every year?

  • The Library Board of Trustees does not have the authority to raise taxes.

  • Once approved by the voters, the total tax revenues supplied to the library will remain constant each year.

 

History of the Library’s Public Funding

  • The NorthEast-Millerton Library has always been funded through various sources, both public and private.

  • In 2007, the voters approved the first 414 votes (18 years ago) which provided the library $125,000 in funding.

  • In 2019, the Town of North East began voluntarily giving the library an additional funding of $10,000 each year up to $50,000 in 2023. The community voted to secure that funding in 2024.

  • This year’s vote, if passed, will mean the 2026 budget will be the first increase the library has had since the 2023.

 

How will the money be spent?

The increase in funds will cover operational costs like:

  • Salaries

  • Utilities

  • Business Insurance

  • Printed and digital materials

  • Maintenance

 

The Library seems ok the way it is. Why don’t you continue as you have been?

  • In the last several years it has become increasingly difficult to keep up with costs and continue to offer standard and new services to the community.

  • It is important for the library to meet its budget. We have cut expenses and found more efficient ways to operate, but that can only go so far. The only options left to us is for the library to start cutting services whether that is shortening hours, purchasing less materials, and cutting programs. We will be looking at all available options.

 

Why doesn’t the library seek more grants & donations and hold fundraisers instead of increasing taxes?

  • To serve the expectations of our community, a stable source of funding is needed.

  • Many of the new initiatives were only made possible through grants and donations which are increasingly becoming an unreliable source of income.

  • Many grants have stipulations attached and cannot be used for basic operational costs.

 

 I don’t even use the library, so why should I pay for it?

Why not stop by, you may be surprised about all we have to offer:

  • Digital E-Books & Audiobooks

  • Streaming of Movies, TV, & Music

  • Free Digital Access to The New York Times

  • Free Programming for All Ages

    • Concerts

    • Story hour and toddler time

    • Young writers groups

    • Book groups

    • Community dinners & more

  • Seed and Spice Library

  • “Library of Things”

    • Loan outs:

      • Laptops

      • Hotspots

      • Fishing poles

      • Snowshoes

      • Thermal camera and more

Look at it this way:

  • you may not need to go to the hospital, but you still want one nearby

  • you may not have school-aged children, but you want public schools available to educate the children in your community

  • libraries, like hospitals and schools, are an essential part of our community

  • libraries help connect and educate the community, as well as preserve our stories. They keep the community vibrant.

 

When and where will the vote take place?

The vote will take place on Election Day, November 4th at your usual voting location, our Annex (28 Century Blvd). All registered voters in the Town of North East and the Village of Millerton may vote on this referendum on the back of your ballot.

To be able to vote in this election, you must register to vote by October 25.

Early voting will run from October 25 through November 2.

Find an Early Voting location here.

Visit the Library’s Open House on October 21, from 5 to 6 pm and October 25, 11 to 12 pm to learn more about our upcoming vote and see what the library offers.

 

Who can I contact with more questions about the 414 Proposal?

Board President, Debbie Ruppel

Contact #: (845) 242-5554

How can I learn more about the NorthEast-Millerton Library?