Excerpt: Public libraries across New Jersey operate on a state funding formula that mandates how much money municipalities must allocate.
But if Summit has its way, that formula should be eliminated in favor of letting each municipality decide how much it wants to budget for books and library operations.
That prospect frightens Library Director Glenn Devitt, Library Board of Trustees spokesman Jon Plaut and Mayor Jordan Glatt. But in a symbolic gesture of support, Common Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday, Sept. 21, to endorse a two-sentence proposed bill in the state legislature to abolish mandated library funding levels and treat libraries just like any other municipal department.
Councilman Tom Getzendanner, who introduced the resolution to endorse the state Assembly bill, said that funding should be based on the actual amount needed to operate the library, rather than on the existing state formula that allocates to the library budget one-third mill for every dollar of a community’s total assessed property value. A mill is 1,000th of a dollar.
Bill under consideration:
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