NorthEast-Millerton Library budget increase on the ballot

MILLERTON — When voters head to the polls this November, they will see the NorthEast-Millerton Library on the ballot with a proposal that seeks to increase their annual tax-based budget by $50,000, raising it from $175,000 to $225,000. All registered voters in the Town of North East and the Village of Millerton may vote on this ballot question.

The additional funding would support daily operations — including staff salaries, utilities, materials and maintenance — while allowing for expanded programming and community services.

“This increase will help with the day-to-day costs of keeping the library running,” said Debbie Ruppel, President of the Library’s Board of Trustees. “It will allow for more programs, more materials and more opportunities that we currently rely on grants to fund.”

The proposed increase aligns with the library’s next long-range plan, set for release in January 2026, said Library director Rhiannon Leo-Jameson. To shape that vision, the library acknowledged its rising costs and met with residents through “100 Cups of Coffee” gatherings and patron surveys to learn what the community values most.

“With everything getting more expensive, we realized how critical a larger operating budget will be,” Ruppel said.

While residents may recall the library being on the ballot in 2024, that measure did not actually raise taxes — it secured existing funding from the Town of North East. This year’s proposal represents the library’s first true budget increase since 2009.

“It can be confusing,” Leo-Jameson said. “That earlier vote didn’t add new money — it just ensured we could count on the funding we already had from the Town.”

If approved, the new budget will remain stable year to year, providing the library with long-term financial security.

“We do apply for grants and look for other sources of funding because we don’t take lightly having to ask the community,” said Leo-Jameson. If approved, the $50,000 increase would cost the average homeowner only a few dollars a month. For example, a $300,000 home would cost around$16 per year. The tax would remain the same in future years.

Beyond the numbers, library leaders emphasize how much the institution has evolved into a community hub.

“Too many people still think of libraries as just places to get books,” Ruppel said. “We’re really trying to show how much more a library offers.”

Today, the NorthEast-Millerton Library lends far more than books. Members can check out Wi-Fi hotspots, laptops and even snowshoes in winter. Its streaming platforms offer access to movies, music and e-books, though licensing costs are steep for the library. A $15 retail e-book can cost the library $60 and expire after just two years, with only one patron able to borrow it at a time.

Between the main library and the Annex, the institution now hosts after-school programs, robotics workshops, story hours, concerts and craft fairs. The North East Historical Society rents space upstairs, while the Dutchess County Friendship Center operates out of the Annex four days a week, offering meals and social programs for seniors. A food pantry created by the library and placed in Veteran’s Park also serves residents in need. People in the community take it upon themselves to fill the small pantry and it rarely needs to be filled by the library itself, Leo-Jameson said.

Residents can learn more about the proposed budget increase at an information session at the library annex on Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.