2017 Budget

2017 Mid-Year Budget Hearing before members of the Erie County Legislature’s Finance and Management Committee

Wednesday, July 19, 2017. Briefing to members of the Erie County Legislature by Library System Director Mary Jean Jakubowski, Library System Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Stone and Library System Board of Trustees Chairman Frank Housh, Esq., on the Library’s mid-year budget status.

Mid-Year Budget Hearing Statement (Click here)
2017 Library Operating Budget Financials for Mid Year Legislative Budget Hearing (Click here)

2017 Adopted Budget Information

On December 15, 2016, the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Board of Trustees Adopted the Library’s 2017 Budget. The 2017 Operating and Grants Budget sustains library operations and services at current levels. Further, it incorporates the impacts of contractually obligated costs related to current labor agreements and benefits as well as those approved for unrepresented and managerial/confidential employees via Board Resolutions 2016-39 and 2016-40 this past September. The labor agreements (for all but 2 bargaining units which have not yet reached agreements for 2017) provide for modest wage adjustments as well as employee contributions towards the cost of health care and provisions limiting the employer share of both active and retiree health care costs over the longer term. The Library’s overall operating budget, including State Aid and library revenue, increases 1.1% from 2016’s $27,261,091 to $27,550,344 in 2017. Including grants, the combined total increases 1.1% from 2016’s $27, 917,085 to $28,234,794 in 2017.

While not part of the Library’s operating budget, the County’s Capital Budget provides $925,000 to support improvements to the county-owned downtown Central Library; specifically, $325,000 for continued rehabilitation of the 50+ year old building’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and $600,000 to undertake the second phase of the Central Library Auditorium Rehabilitation and Asbestos Abatement.

For more information about the Library’s 2017 Budget please see:
2017 B&ECPL Adopted Budget in Brief: Resolution, Charts, & Graphs (Click Here)
2017 B&ECPL Adopted Budget Line Item Detail with Notes (Click Here)

2017 Proposed Budget – 11/1/2016 Budget Hearing

On Tuesday November 1, 2016, B&ECPL Board Chair Frank Housh, Esq., Library Director Mary Jean Jakubowski and CFO Ken Stone presented an overview of the Library’s 2017 budget request to the Erie County Legislature’s Finance & Management/Budget Committee and answered legislators’ questions.

The budget presentation text may be viewed by clicking this link: 2017 Budget Hearing Presentation Text (Click Here)

The text refers to the documents in the 2017 Proposed Budget section below.

2017 Proposed Budget

On Friday October 14, 2016 Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz released his 2017 Proposed Budget.

The Library appreciates and thanks Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz for recommending a county funding increase of $469,483 (2.0%) to libraries in his 2017 Proposed Budget through funds generated by growth in the equalized full value property tax base so there is no increase in the property tax rate. The additional funding will help offset increased contractually obligated costs while sustaining Library operations and services. We sincerely hope that the full Legislature will approve the County Executive’s proposal and appreciate their past support.

County funding of $23,943,617, combined with funding from New York State of $2,227,239 in operating aid, use of $485,186 in Library fund balance, and $894,302 in other library revenue, brings the Library’s 2017 proposed operating budget to $27,550,344; a modest 1.1% increase over the 2016 Adopted Budget. In addition to the operating budget, $684,450 in state aid is included in the Library Grants Budget. Current service levels will be sustained, including a full year’s schedule for the high tech bookmobile service that hit the road during 2016.

Erie County’s 2017 Proposed Capital Budget will support improvements to the county owned downtown Central Library. Specifically, $325,000 for continued rehabilitation of the 50+ year old building’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and $600,000 to undertake the second phase of the Central Library Auditorium Rehabilitation and Asbestos Abatement.

We believe County Executive’s budget is a vote of confidence for the work the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is doing on behalf of the community. The Library is committed to providing access to quality resources and information in a variety of formats and technologies to meet its mission: Connecting our diverse community with library resources that enrich, enlighten and entertain.

The next event in the budget review process will be the Library’s budget hearing before the Erie County Legislature’s Finance & Management/Budget Committee scheduled for 1:45 pm Tuesday November 1, 2016 in the Legislative Chambers, 92 Franklin Street, 4^th Floor, Buffalo, NY. A public hearing/comment opportunity on the overall County Budget is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm Monday November 21^st, also in the Legislative Chambers.

Information on the proposed budget may be found in the links below. This page will be updated as the budget process moves forward.