On Monday we spotted this “Budget Cuts: Library Closed” sign in front of the Montclair Public Library. It turns out that this was the first week of new hours forced by anticipated cuts in the 2010 municipal budget. The main library will be closed Mondays, which will also be the only day of the week that the Bellevue Avenue branch library will be open. Previously, the main branch was open seven days a week and the Bellevue Avenue branch was open six days a week.
But the attention-grabbing sign isn’t the only way the library is fighting back. Seven members of the Montclair Board of Trustees have put their own money into buying ad that will run in tomorrow’s issue of the Montclair Times. The ad headline is “The Montclair Public Library is in Grave Danger” and argues that the proposed budget cuts in the current township budget are unfair to the library and “make no financial sense.”
The quarter-page ad warns that the proposed 20 percent budget reduction will “decimate” library service, that main branch hours will be “cut in half” and that resources for students will be cut by two thirds.
Cliff Kulwin, president of the library board of trustees, says he understands the dire circumstances surrounding the town budget, but he thinks the current plan places too great a burden on the library. “We want the pain to be equitable,” he says. “We are being asked to shoulder 25 percent of the total cuts even though we make up 5 percent of the budget.”
Kulwin says that while the Christie cuts to libraries are part of the picture, they’re not the main part since practically all of the Montclair library’s budget comes from local property taxes.
As for the suggestion that the Bellevue branch be closed to save money, he points out that it is heavily used. Even though it has only accounted for 8 percent of the library’s budget in the past, it has accounted for 11 percent of circulation.
Moreover, it’s not clear how easy it would be to close the Bellevue branch, which was funded with a $40,000 Carnegie grant in 1913. Law students at Rutgers are currently studying the question.
calling all private donors…
11% is “heavy use”?
Yes, the situation is dire. So what to do?
Do we raise taxes or do we take from another program? Montclair can raise property taxes or move money from another program (like take some money from public education, police or the fire department).
To get money from the State, New Jersey would need to raise taxes or take from another program. What tax to raise? That’s easy, let’s raise taxes on the rich-a surtax on all incomes over 400k–that’s the ticket (maybe the rich will leave, maybe they will stay and pay–studies and opinions differ).
The taxes that can be raise are the INCOME TAX, the SALES TAX, or the BUSINESS TAX. Then there are tolls, estate taxes, real estate transfer taxes, if you look, New Jersey has a fee, tax or toll on everything and they have been raised recently.
Maybe there should be an admission fee to the Library. It wouldn’t be a “Free Public Library” but it would keep the riff-raff out (and me).
As it stands, New Jersey is the highest taxed state in the country. The reality is that our “public services” are no better than average. And the way things are going we will have to look to Mississippi and Texas for a bailout.
I hear the Germans can’t wait to give money to Greece where over 1/3 of the jobs are in the public sector.
Lets do not get distracted… cutting the budget of Library over proportionally was a decision of the town government.
Steps like proportionally cuts across all departments or consolidation of departments (e.g. Water & Sewage) were considered (?), but not taken.
Organizing private donors is an excellent idea, and not without precedent. Set up a volunteer board of trustees to monitor fiscal issues. It would allow individuals an opportunity to support an important institution and encourage tax deductable contributions. This type of augmentation to state funding could potentially allow the library to increase programs and services. They do it in NY, and it works. Do your part instead of gimme, gimme, gimme. We’re all finding out that “free” isn’t really “free” after all.
This problem is so little compared to the overall Montclair debt. The 700K taken away is an evaporating drop in the bucket towards fixing Montclair.
Our DEBT SERVICE is over 10MM a year, that’s just interest on the Money we all ready owe.
Salaries and Pension are the driving force, not these little issues like the Library, Pools, First Nite, and many other issues.
We could outsource Trash/Recycling services to Waste Management and save millions on employee benis and salary over time.
Same goes for Landscaping services for Municipal buildings and property. And Janitorial services across the board.
We even run our own Water system which can easily be outsourced like most of the towns in NJ.
Anti-Privatization, Pro Public Sector Union attitude of our elected officials is to blame for the Library decreasing services. Public Union Member votes is all most mayors and councils care about. That’s why most never get re-elected.
Hats off to Kyle M. All excellent ideas! Anyone who can’t grasp these concepts is either a beneficiary of the status quo, or a hidebound ideologue that is incapable of honest debate.
The really grave danger looming over us the amount of debt we have incurred as a township. Another is the prospect of huge increases in our property tax bills. I was walking my dog this weekend in my neighborhood and there are 5 homes for sale on Marion in Upper Montclair where you can buy a 4 bedroom house on a small lot and pay over 20k in property taxes. Those homes will have taxes of over $25k in a few years.
My mother is a librarian in a town that is facing severe cuts to its budget. The town has acknowledged that the library is being targeted more so than other sectors in town even though like Montclair, it takes up only a small percentage of the actual budget. One council member even stated that he doesn’t understand the need for libraries when everyone has the internet at home. I don’t even know where to begin fighting back against such ignorance. I realize that cuts need to be made, and that these decisions are not easy, but for libraries to be unfairly and disproportionately targeted at the local and state level is pure uneducated bullying.
Blind privatization is NOT the answer at all…
Outsourcing Water is absolutely the wrong thing to do since the private entity would essentially have a monopoly. Just ask some CA townships how well they like their private water corps.
Oversight and accountability is needed…
Christie’s proposted 74 percent reduction in state aid to libraries will lead to the end of inter-library loans, or in the very least, the delivery of these items. This means the book/DVD/magazine you wanted in a library 40 mins away in Bergen County will no longer be able to be picked up in your local town library, you’ll have to drive to the actual holding library.
hmm, come to think of it, why have school buildings – the kids can all go to school online. I bet we could come up with a number of services to cut if we all just stay in our homes and use the internet for everything.
RaeVen: Or I could just get it off the internet while sitting in my pajamas at home.
Maybe you can, but people should remember not everyone has the money or resources to have Netflix subscriptions and iPads for ebooks.
You would think people associated with a library would realize that the word decimate means “To reduce by one-tenth.”
I think they would be absolutely ecstatic to find out that they were only being decimated…
RaeVen: Have you been to a library? Disadvantaged people use the library to catch a few hours of time on the internet. Only very sophisticated users (who invariably have reasonable personal resources) utilize inter-library transfers.
Let’s be rational here.
We are the highest taxed in the country, yet we have no money??!! As Kyle wrote, there is such waste b/c of pensions & salaries. In the private sector, you get fired — period. Government of any kind (local, state, federal) can’t be competitive in tough times b/c unions make it impossible to do what is necessary. Enough grousing about the cuts to the library — take on the unions that’s who is to blame for this mess. Why aren’t top administrators being fired??!! It’s really aggravating
Wow, jerseygurl, we agree on something!!
Two thoughts here:
1) Out of the 50 states, New Jersey ranks DEAD LAST in the amount of Federal Income Tax our residents pay vs the amount of Federal spending we receive (for every $1.00 we pay, we recieve 61 cents). There are many other states that receive the benefit of this (Mississippi receives over $2.00 for every $1.00 in taxes paid).
http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/ftsbs-timeseries-20071016-.pdf
Obviously this is not a short term solution, nor does it excuse the exorbitant state and local taxes we pay, but it’s a longer term issue for our congressman and senators to address.
2) The Library budget is not a significant driver on our local property taxes – it’s tiny, and IMHO it’s money well spent.
In contrast the school budget it’s where 60% of our property taxes go. There was an excellent letter to the editor of the Montclair Times last week detailing how the school portion of our taxes has increased much more than our County or Town taxes. The letter outlined how our school taxes have grown at about 3 times the US cost of living. (Which most of us would suggest is not sustainable – but Mayor Fried and others seem to feel it’s OK).
I find the Montclair Public Library to be rather lacking in terms of new books, holdings, and knowledgeable staff. Each time I enter with the ever present hope that comes with walking into any public or college/university library, I leave with nothing more than a headache from loud patrons or wonderful brats and no books.
Once I requested that the library staff put a video on hold, they claimed they did and when I went to pick it up to show to a class that evening, the video was not to be found. If I want a book, knowledgeable staff, or some quiet to really work, I will go to the college library or try another venue–anything except Starbucks.
I am not at all a supporter of Gov. Christie. I believe his draconian measures do nothing to enhance education or hope. But we’re from New Jersey–we’ll get over it and find a way. Now, if I could just find a good public library in Montclair….
Wasn’t there a semi-recent article in the Montclair Times that pointed out that our library budget was nearly double that of most communities of our size?
Someone please refresh my memory on this.
Here’s an idea – CLOSE THE UPPER MONTCLAIR BRANCH. 11% is not heavy use. Seems so obvious. They could even sell the property.
The few times I entered the Belleville Avenue branch, I found it charming. It reminded me of the old Paterson (NJ) library when I was a kid–the stacks, the slightly musty old book energy/smell and the desire to read whatever was on the shelf– much better than our helter skelter where are any books arrangement in the “main” library.
The library is a resource I’ve recently rediscovered. Two years ago, I did a massive clutter clean-up of my homn in which books were the biggest offenders. As I’ve recently watched the bookcasse starting to burst at the seams again, I realized I needed to take action, while still being able to read as much as I enjoy,so I took out a library card. What a wonderful resource to be able to browse the racks, make selections, read, and then return…Voila! No clutter!
The biggest threat to libraries are the big bookstores..Since I have my library card, I don’t go Barnes & Noble as much (or order on line). Where the store is concerned, I’ve discovered that one can browse for books without a latte. How’s that for a concept?
Sadly, the Internet is eclipsing the libary as the primary resource site…Sad…I remember as a kid how exciting to was to learn how to use the card catalogue.
I hope others find the value in their library that I have…and fight to keep these beacons of research and reading pleasure open.
“Christie’s proposted 74 percent reduction in state aid to libraries will lead to the end of inter-library loans, or in the very least, the delivery of these items. This means the book/DVD/magazine you wanted in a library 40 mins away in Bergen County will no longer be able to be picked up in your local town library, you’ll have to drive to the actual holding library. ”
If your local library doesn’t have Season 2 of Entourage, suck it up and borrow something else. When did it become a “right” to have access to every single DVD and magazine that you may want, even if it required delivery from a distant library?
Chris, A few weeks, when my home computer went belly up, I was thrilled to be able to use the computers in the library.
Try doing research work using only the books found at your local library and you will see the importance of inter-library loans.
Having access to whatever items can be found at a local library is great, but being able to borrow from any library in an entire county allows for hundreds of times more material than you would get from any one library.
They might consider raising the fines for overdues. Bring back your books late – $1.00, bring back your books on time – priceless (free).
So you at least admit that much of your distaste for libraries is that they’re used by “disadvantaged people.”
This is an ideological issue and the people who are against money going towards helping the “disadvantaged” (e.g., providing education to those who can’t afford private schools or providing access to literature to those who need to do research or just read for enjoyment who can’t pay $20 – $30 a book from Amazon) will never change their mind.
I’m also disgusted with how much we’re taxed. However, it’s already been stated that the library budget isn’t an overwhelming contributor to waste and overspending and this only demonstrates that we’re letting the economy be an excuse to get rid of things that some of us fundamentally disagree with because our party affiliation dictates what and whom we should be against.
Also, I don’t see taxes coming down despite all these cuts because the issue is that the state and municipalities are mismanaged. Taxes will increase and we’ll lose out on basic things despite paying more money for them. I agree that we need to cut spending, but there are certain things on which it’s worth spending money – environmental protection, education, and libraries are among them. If we’re paying $10 – $20K a year on property taxes, the least we can expect is a damn library in town.
Now excuse me while I go to the library and give my post a ‘thumbs up’ on every one of their computers so I can feel better about myself – I hope to God they’re open and that I don’t have to see any icky poor people.
… and they better have Entourage Season 2 available!
Based on my analysis this afternoon, assuming we get all the cuts suggested, including the $700,000 library cut (and all the cuts aren’t sure things), we’re now looking at a 13% Municipal tax increase. Leave the library alone and it goes to 14%.
Cary Africk
2nd Ward Councilor
speechless ….
The same thing is going on in my town. The closures will start next week. It’s depressing. All kinds of people use our library: retired folks like me who like to read & can’t buy everything in sight (in spite of our efforts to clean out the Montclair College Women’s Book Sale); kids doing their homework; unemployed people who can’t afford the Net at home (Has anyone else tried looking for a job in hard-copy newspapers these days? That era is gone.); immigrants who are trying to learn English and immerse themselves in American culture.
Heck, even Keith Richards understands the importance of libraries:
And a closed library is a sad sight.
Something tells me that Keith might have added a third institution that proved to be of the utmost importance to him — the pub.
Cary – I thought we were looking at an 11% municipal tax hike. What bumped it up to 14%?
Then Cary, you and the other councilors are fairly useless at your elected positions. My elementary school-aged children could have arrived at an increase of that magnitude.
Boy, that comment is corny.
Isn’t 13 an unlucky number? 68 is very lucky in Chinese culture, perhaps you should raise taxes 68% instead. 88 is even luckier.
11% property tax increase on the municipal portion means Montclair will sell more TAX SALE CERTIFICATES, force more people from their homes, cause more foreclosures. We are liberal here in Montclair, that is liberal in taking other peoples homes.
Remarkable that Cary gets a thumbs down for stating a reality. Right now, the municipal budget should be flat. Zero. The school budget is also going up and someone should figure out how to keep that at zero right now. As I’ve said before, this is not sustainable. People are already moving out as soon as their kids graduate. When the average tax bill hits $25k here, people won’t even bother to buy a home. My income is not going up and when my tax bill hits a certain threshold I will have to move. I have shown the town to 3 different sets of people I know looking to buy – all without children in school – and all said ‘no thanks’ when they looked at the tax bills attached to houses in the $800 range. Nyack, Hoboken and Brooklyn were better options. One of my friends is moving to Europe as soon as his 16 year old is out of school.
We have to get it under control – we have to have a local and state government that understands the need to tackle the 800 pound gorilla that represents pensions and health benefits we cannot continue to pay out to people for 35 to 40 years of the second half of their lives for only 20 years of work. And our elected officials have to tackle our bloated government with it’s layers of municipal and county officials and their staffs. And we have to find another way to fund public education. Otherwise you will soon see a proliferation of segregated living divided by people without children in school and those who have no choice other than to send their children to public schools and will be willing to live in towns with high taxes because it’s still cheaper than private school. Or willing to rent for for several years. It’s already happening and it’s going to bite us all in the near future if we don’t face it.
So, yes, the library might just be a small portion of our very large bill, but we have a lot of small portions that all add up to a very big and very grave tax situation.
To echo parts of other comments, Internet databases (EBSCO et al.) have replaced print as research vehicles. The problem is that students are not reading; the cut and paste research paper is becoming a quick fix. Without access to Internet, students have to use print sources. Interlibrary loans are needed; does any library have everything? In College libraries, print sources are still used; however, databases provide continual, updated information.
For those who cannot afford Internet databases, the library should be an alternative site. Re-thinking of the function of “library” is necessary. With cutbacks and closings, the already diminished Montclair Public Library will possibly become a glorified public lounge–a senior Cafe and a babysitting service for loud brats.
Upper Montclair actually has much better access to a resource superior to the main library or the branch library – Montclair State’s library. My sons used Montclair State while in school and found better and more abundant research material than that available at the town library. The icing on the cake was that I self taught myself MS Access among other things while I accompanied them to the library.
jerseygurl,
You need to email your comment to the town council.
I did the grunt work for ya.
jfried@montclairnjusa.org; rterry@montclairnjusa.org; kweller@montclairnjusa.org; rmurnick@montclairnjusa.org; cafrick@montclairnjusa.org; nlewis@montclairnjusa.org; rbaskerville@montclairnjusa.org; townshipmanager@montclairnjusa.org
Howard,
You support my point. College libraries have access to databases that town libraries may not. There needs to be more cooperation between town and gown (as they used to say) if township libraries will flourish.
Sadly, the era of looking at the print source is becoming increasingly obsolete. I find this particularly sad; I love the printed page! However, time does not.
One positive takeaway from this thread is that public opinion is clearly turning. People from across the ideological and political spectrum seem to be coming to the same conclusion that we just cannot keep increasing taxes while our incomes stagnate or decline. There is no hyperbole in the statement that Montclair is simply becoming unaffordable for many people. Not to digress, but there is also an inverse relationship between property taxes and home values which further erodes the value of what is for many of us our largest asset. In effect, we are paying more for an asset that is, as a direct corollary of higher taxes, becoming less valuable. I love the town, but I just realized I’m not that young, and since I’m not a public employee I’ve got nothing but my savings to rely on for retirement. Presently, potential savings are being taxed away at an alarming rate. I know that I’m going to have to face a day of reckoning at some point. Taxpayers are not some mythical golden geese. We have our limits and many of us are at or close to hitting them. Please give us a break.
I am in the same boat as you are cncrnd. I have only my own savings and the value of my biggest asset is declining. But, that’s not an argument for changing the system, those are a result of our own personal situations and choices. The really big picture is that for MOST people, in MOST real situations, at whatever stage in their lives, this situation is not going to end well if something doesn’t change. Right now, if I could, I would get the hell out fast. And I LOVE this town. But when I have random conversations with well off people living here, and in other parts of NJ talking about leaving the area and leaving the country, it becomes very clear that middle class people with kids are really feeling squeezed and are looking for options that don’t include paying high property taxes, getting penalized with AMT, or losing money on valuable assets.
College libraries may have access to more, and more sophisticated databases than our public library, however, both types of institutions rely on state funding in order to provide access to many databases. This funding will be cut if Christie’s budget is approved.
I work at a college library AND use the MPL extensively. One thing to note about access to databases at college libraries — access to most of their databases is usually limited to current faculty, staff and students. Sometimes alumni are allowed to access their databases, typically the general public may only use college databases if they visit the library. Not very convenient if you would like to access the databases from home.
The databases that the public libraries subscribe to are available to anyone that has a library card issued within NJ. See http://www.montclairlibrary.org/site/databases.php for a list of databases available through MPL.
It would be a terrible shame for ALL libraries in NJ to lose state funding for access to these online resources.
For details on the proposed state library budget cuts visit http://savemynjlibrary.org/ and show your support.
Jerseygurl,
I completely agree with you. Things have to change. I only mentioned my personal situation because I believe that I am part of a fairly broad cohort that depends on self reliance, gets hammered by property taxes, state income taxes that are absurd, and AMT. I’ve had lots of the same conversations that you have. We moved to NJ for work and family reasons and chose Montclair for what we perceived as relative value, among other things, almost twenty years ago. Now can’t leave without a big pay-up to buy the same type of home in virtually any other commuter suburb largely because of the taxes. Kids can’t just be uprooted, etc. Looks like home for awhile. Let’s work to fix things.
Cncrnd…
Other than Cary, our council seems to believe 4% annual increases are to be applauded. Should we write to them as individuals, and get those responses I’m tired of getting (the state cuts, the economy, the fill in the blank) or should we try to do it as a group? Should we put together a cohesive letter and put it on the ‘cooler?
I’m happy to do whatever, I have just found that when it’s one on one, the responses I get are just the same old excuses. Maybe we need to show up en masse at a meeting? All pick the same night?
I would applaud a 4% increase. Unfortunately, this year the increase should be closer to 8% if not more. The only time the increases are lowered are during times of prosperity when tax revenues are increasing. When tax revenue is decreasing the property tax increases go up.
Why?
Because the revenue side of the equation is ALWAYS ignored. This is the same way the town council chooses to ignore the impact of capital spending increases or selling property to cover operational expenses. Quite honestly, the Fried Five need to be removed from office. Their understanding of finances is deplorable and embarrassing to watch. When Roger Terry says “I’m not well off.” As he collects a $105,000 pension till death with full medical care coverage, something is horribly wrong.
Jerseygurl,
You are on to something. People need to pull together for common cause. Lets pick a meeting and put the word out.
I’ll gladly be part of this group. I already attend a bunch of these meetings, seemingly to no avail.
Is that right stu? $105,000 pension with full benefits? I really wish I were a not so well off public employee. I’ll need close to $1mm in savings to collect draw down $35,000 a year for 30 years of retirement. How’s that for not well off.
There’s a council meeting on May 4th….should we aim for this one or another? And if so, we should post on the ‘cooler as well and hijack a couple of threads (sorry baristas).
I’m also in for May 4. If we get a good crowd perhaps the Montclair Times or Ledger will also get on board.
“I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it any more!”
I take that back. His pension in merely $100,449.24 per year.
http://php.app.com/njretire07/results2.php?lastn=Terry&firstn=Roger&location=MONTCLAIR+TOWNSHIP&FundName=%25&ret_yr=%25&name=%25&Submit=Search
Of course, I’m not sure if serving on the town council is pensionable although I think it does come with healthcare benefits.
I was planning on attending the Mega Skills Workshop at Rand School next Tuesday, but I’m sure I could make it over to the town council meeting by the public input portion, which usually get’s started closer to 10pm.
maybe we can get baristanet to write about a bunch of angry citizens who want to gather a large crowd at the next town council meeting on tuesday?
FYI, Stu. I just used the Vanguard calculator and in order to withdraw $7,800 per month for 30 years with a conservative portfolio, I would need to have $2mm to start. Given Terry’s age, it’s likely he’ll collect for about 35 years. I’m not saying public employees should not get pensions – I’m just saying the packages are overly generous and start at much too early an age.
Jerseygurl,
Don’t forget your $250,000 needed for healthcare costs in retirement, which are going up about 5% per year.
http://www.planadviser.com/Fidelity__Cost_of_Retiree_Health_Care_Jumps_Again.aspx
I’m in for May 4th. I will be dressed as “Rich Uncle Pennybags” aka “The Monopoly Man.” Could someone provide time and location?
Jerseygurl,
Your suggestion for a cohesive letter is a good one. Your earlier post would serve as a good outline.
That’s funny CNCRND. I’ve been looking for a barrel I could wear for years. I still haven’t been able to find one.
Oooh, can I finally bust out my “Stop Spending My Money” t-shirt??
Kay, where can I get one of those shirts?
Has anyone ever thought that instead of attacking people like Terry, they should go after the Insurance Companies who just constantly raise their rates to the municipalities? Like RT or not, he put his LIFE on the line daily for our town for many years. And now,after this, and after being involved with his community of which he lived in his entire life, (as opposed to some of you), you want his nads because he has benefits. Amazing. I’ve lived in Montclair my entire life. As a kid, RT was a coach and mentor to many. Why all the negative to the people that serve us? And just so you know? He pays 20% of his health benefits and after January 1st, will be paying 21.5%. When did being a Civil Servant turn into Public Enemy number #1? I personally like knowing we have Cops,Detectives, EMS, Firefighters and DPW. Loose some of the department heads. The rest runs itself.
I agree that Roger Terry should be commended and applauded for his years of service to Montclair as should all of our Public Safety personnel.
I do, however, question many of his actions since he was elected to be on the town council. He wants to spend money that we don’t have and lambasts those who disagree with him.
As far as the retirement benefits that our municipal and BOE employees receive, they are just not sustainable.